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The leadership of Ghana Armed Forces has been advised by the Member of Parliament for the people of Kumbungu in the Northern Region, Hon. Ras Mubarak to appraise themselves with the relevant laws of the country before carrying out any operation, authorized by politicians.

The Kumbungu lawmaker’s advice is based on the action taken by military personnel to burn down some 14 tipper trucks and an excavator in his district following a crackdown on illegal sand winning along the White River at Nawuni near Kumbungu in the Northern Region.

Soldiers on Saturday, 3 March 2018 set ablaze the 14 trucks and an excavator in the Kumbungu District of the Northern Region as part of efforts to protect the Dalun River which feeds into the White Volta, from sand winners.

The destruction of the heavy-duty vehicles followed several warnings by National Security officials to the sand winners to stop their destructive activity. The Dalun River is a critical source of water for the people of the Northern Region.

Speaking on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Hon. Ras Mubarak insisted that the military had no business burning down an excavator and 14 tipper trucks in their duty to clamping illegal sand winning in his Constituency.

“The military has no business burning down an excavator and 14 tipper trucks. The people have taken bank loans of about $300,000 dollars and within a month, their excavator is burnt down; they will go haywire”.

“ . . and you think we can fight armed robbery with this kind of behaviour? You think people won’t take the law into their own hands to do what they are doing [armed robbery] now when the state which is suppose to protect all of us in itself is committing an illegality?”

Even though the rage by the military follows an earlier warning by the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC), the Kumbungu lawmaker who described the incident as savagery, has urged the affected persons to go to court to seek for compensation as he intend to raise the issue in Parliament.

“It is the court that can find the guilt or otherwise of anybody; nobody should take the law into their own hands and that is why we have laws and it is only the court which can decide that”, he averred.

He feared had it not been the timely intervention of the chiefs and some politicians begging the youth, they would have retaliated against the action taken by the military.

“They are not stealing anybody’s money and this is how the state wants to treat them because somebody has the power and think they can show them where power lies? If these youth decide to retaliate, do you think we will have peace in the region and Northern Region Minister, you give such an order?”