Tafohene condemns vandalism and demands decisive action

Kumasi, Feb. 11, GNA - The chief of Tafo, Nana Agyen Frimpong II, has condemned acts of vandalism carried out by rampaging Muslim youth in the community, on Wednesday, and urged the police to act decisively to rein in those who have chosen to live outside the law.

One person was confirmed dead and dozens hurt in the nasty incident.

The irate youth, carrying guns, machetes, axes, clubs and chains, vandalized anything on sight - vehicles and shops, smashed glass doors and windows of buildings amid burning of vehicle tyres.

Nana Frimpong, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said the way to resolve whatever grievances anybody had was not to take the law into their own hands to create mayhem.

He called for calm and restraint among the people to avoid any further disturbances.

The action by the Muslims youth was a response to the leveling of a fence they were erecting around the Tafo public cemetery - a project that had drawn strong opposition from the chief and significant section of the population.

Nana Frimpong and the Tafo-Nhyiaeso Divisional Police Commander, were reportedly assaulted when they visited the site to persuade the youth to stop the construction, last Saturday.

The chief wants the controversy over the land delineated for the cemetery to be sorted first.

So far nobody has been arrested by the police in connection with the violence and the curfew imposed by the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control is expected to remain for few days.

Meanwhile, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has set up a Committee to find an enduring solution to the problem.

GNA