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29.12.2007 Obituaries

Soldiers Killed In Tamale

29.12.2007 LISTEN
By Daily Guide

TWO SOLDIERS from the 6th Battalion Infantry (6BN) in Tamale have been reported dead.

The two, Captain Gesu Yeyie and Private Owusu Emmanuel died in the line of duty.

While the captain died in Yendi during the chieftaincy brawl, the other officer was shot and killed by armed robbers at Bunkpurugu while on night patrol.

The Commanding Officer (CO) of the Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel W. Omane Agyekum, who disclosed this at this year's West African Soldiers Social Activities (WASSA) held in Tamale, said their contributions were enormous to the stability of the region.

He paid glowing tribute to the bereaved families and congratulated all those who devoted themselves to duty for the maintenance of peace in the entire Northern Region.

The CO reminded his men of looming challenges in the year ahead, saying the 2008 African Cup of Nations in Ghana, the unresolved chieftaincy problems and the general elections would pose a huge security problem so they must rise to the occasion when the time comes.

He as well appealed to them to prepare to assist the civil authority to maintain law and order as their mandated duty.

Lt Col Agyekum bemoaned the spate of highway robbery which had made traveling at night dangerous, noting that the robbers had taken the country hostage.

He called on the officers of the Command to help fight the menace in order to rid the country of 'these criminals'.

The CO, who is celebrating the last WASSA with the Command as its head, called on his men to empower their wives by engaging them in income-generating activities and assisting those who wished to pursue higher education to do so.

Lt. Col. Agyekum expressed his appreciation to the various district assemblies for lending their support to military personnel deployed to the respective districts and appealed to them to sustain their support.

Some teachers and pupils of the Kamina Basic School and Junior High School were honoured for their excellent performance in the previous year.

WASSA was instituted in 1821 as a social platform for soldiers and their families to get acquainted with one another.

Present at the ceremony was the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Iddris, the Yendi Municipal Chief Executive, Mohammed Habib Tijani and the Commanding Officers of the other services including the Police, CEPS and the Air Force.
From Stephen Zoure, Tamale

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