<<Print>>

The Local Government Service has condemned an attack on the Tema West Municipal Chief Executive and some Assembly officials by members of the Anointed Palace Chapel(Obofour church) at Tema Community 18 roundabout.

The MCE accompanied by the Assembly's taskforce, Work Engineer, and Financial officers on Monday visited the church, headed by Reverend Francis Antwi popularly known as Rev. Obofuor, as part measures to improve revenue generation.

Dr. Nana Ato Arthur, Head of Local Government Service (LGS), briefing the media, said at about 1130 hours, a convoy of the TWMA made up of four pickups and a Nissan Patrol vehicle reached the premises of the church and requested for their building permit documents, which they failed to produce.

Dr. Arthur added that four summons had already been issued to the leadership within one month but they failed to show up at the Assembly.

Another summon was however served on them by the Engineer to report to the office the following day with the necessary documents and instructed the taskforce to write on a portion of their wall to 'produce permit by TWMA".

"Just when they moved to carry out the instruction , some youth of the church rushed on them, took their red paint, poured it on them, closed their main entrance gate and started beating them with sticks, metal strips, cutlasses as the smashed their vehicles".

He added that "the Engineer, Municipal Finance Officer and the rest of the Taskforce, received their fair share of beatings to the extent that the Engineer's vehicle and cell phone were smashed".

The incident, he indicated, was reported to the Sakumono Police Station and officers were deployed who swiftly rushed to the scene and arrested five of those involved.

He commended the Police for their swift response and called for the prosecution of the abusers to serve as deterrent.

The Head of Local Government Service also issued a strong warning to churches and mosques to desist from such acts of violence, vigilantism and disobedience and behave responsibly.

"We want to send a strong warning to the Anointed Palace Chapel (APC) and everybody or organisation everywhere in Ghana that is unlawful to attack any of the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) throughout the country" adding that, a similar attack was made on the Engineer of Ningo-Prampram District in March.