Amanfrom Residents Must Bring Cement, Motorbikes For Their Own Security - MCE

The Municipal Chief Executive of Ga South Jerry Akwei Thompson, says the residents of Amanfrom must contribute for their own security.

He said any resident who fails to voluntarily contribute bags of cement to erect a police post will be forced to do so.

“How much does a bag of cement cost? Thirty Ghana cedis. Anybody who has his or her property there must provide that three bags of cement! Anybody who can assist with some chippings, come out with it and let us all work on it [a police post] and complete it in record time, so at least the police command can post two or three policemen to the place to man the area 24 hours a day," he stated.

For months the people of Amanfrom and other parts of Accra have known no peace as armed robbers raid their homes.

Forty-year-old Grace Andoh was nearly raped when the robbers walked into her home at dawn yesterday.

She was stripped naked and nearly raped. With a swollen face and reddened eyes she told Joy News shots from an army office saved her.

She is one of more than 15 victims; some others have suffered machete injuries.

Amanfrom is a developing area, with many uncompleted homes, sparsely located, with bushes around and poor infrastructure like roads.

Other areas like Promised Land near Adjei Kojo and Klagon also share such neighbourhood characteristics.

At Promised Land last week, two persons sustained gunshot injuries after armed robbers stormed the area. Klagon, a community along the Tema Motorway has not been spared.

The Police are asking the residents to protect themselves. Sakumono District Police Commander Supt William Asante indicated more men would be patrolling the area.

At a meeting with community organisers, the Ga South MCE, Mr. Thompson, who has supervisory jurisdiction over Amanfrom, said the Ga South Municipal Assembly detail a revenue collector to take levies from the residents for provision security in the community.

"Those who believe in democracy, this is democracy. Democracy is not open-ended, it must be controlled. If you say because of democracy, you will not pay and we will allow you to stay and we will protect you? You must be forced to pay," he warned.

Mr. Thompson said the assembly is in the process of acquiring two motorbikes to help police officers meander their way through the bad roads in the community.

The residents, he said, must also buy some motorbikes to help in this effort.

Criminologist Ken Agyemang Attafuah how believes asking residents to contribute to the construction of a police post is a dangerous trend.

"The citizens do not have a duty to provide this kind of support; the duty they have is to pay their taxes. The way the support is being prescribed is dangerous," he told Joy News.