'Confusion at Bibiani was a little misunderstanding’ – Western North Minister

The Western North Minister, Richard Obeng, has watered down the violence recorded during the Bibiani demonstration that left six persons with gunshot wounds.

“It was just a little misunderstanding between the youth group and traditional authority,” Mr. Obeng said on Eyewitness News.

“From the assessment of the situation we have done so far, it is some miscreants who wanted to take advantage of that situation.”

The demonstration on Wednesday was against Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyabi II, Chief of Sefwi-Anwhiaso, who was performing some rites at a mining firm.

Police have said the tensions are suspected to have stemmed from a chieftaincy dispute.

The confusion led to some people sustaining wounds and bruises from machetes and stones, in addition to the gunshots from locally manufactured weapons.

The minister commended the police for their intervention on the day, saying they acted with wisdom and tact.

“The timely intervention of the police force did not give them the freedom to cause the kind of mayhem I supposed they had anticipated,” Mr. Obeng said.

Also speaking on Eyewitness News, the Bibiani Divisional Police Commander, ACP James Amoako Acheamfour, said the area was now very calm as investigations progress into the incident.

He, however, said no arrests had been made so far. “When it happened, a lot of them had taken cover. They run away. So we are making all efforts to smoke them out to face the full rigours of the law.”

None of the factions involved had also turned themselves in for questions, the divisional commander said.

---citinewsroom