Wa, July 13, GNA – President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Tuesday apologised to Wa Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, the Overlord of the Wala Traditional Area, for the recent military brutality in Wa over a missing phone.
“I have come to add my voice to the soldiers and that of the Minister of Defence to say how sorry I am about the incident and to do everything possible to make sure such an incident is not repeated,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo rendered the apology when he paid a courtesy call on the Wa Naa during his two-day tour of the Upper West Region.
He said the Military High Command was in the region and promised to deal with those responsible.
He said the Minister of Defence and the Minister of the Interior also visited the region and rendered an apology on behalf of government and that government would be responsible for the medical bills of those injured as a result of the brutality.
“I’m happy that both commitments made have been respected”, he said.
The President said he was happy to read about the Wa Naa’s recognition of the Military’s fulfilment of its promises to discipline the perpetrators of the crime and his advice to the people to put the incident behind them and move forward.
“I want to congratulate you on the very statesmanlike pronouncement that you made on that occasion – you spoke like the senior traditional ruler that you are,” he said.
“As you yourself so wisely pointed out, we have a very big enemy at our door step and that is the terrorists that are operating in the Sahel Region, many of whom have found themselves in Burkina Faso next door.”
President Akufo-Addo noted that it was only through cooperation by the people and the security forces that would help prevent the terrorists from entering the country.
“I want to add my voice to yours in calling on the people to continue to work closely with the security forces to make sure we keep the terrorists out of our country and that means that we should not dwell too much on the incident that occurred,” he said.
“With human beings, mistakes will occur, the important thing is how you correct them and move on and I want to tell you, Wa Naa, that I’m very happy about the way you responded to the incident,” the President said.
He said he was lucky to have traditional rulers, especially in the northern part of the country, who were helping him in the governance of the country.
“I have very wise traditional rulers who are helping me in the governance of the country and fortunately for me, you, Wa Naa, you are one of them,” President Akufo-Addo said.
The President was accompanied by Mr Dominic Nitiwul, the Defence Minister, Mr Ambrose Dery, the Interior Minister and other government officials.
On Thursday, July 1, 2020, some soldiers from the Hippo Barracks in Wa stormed the town and beat up people indiscriminately over the loss of a cell phone by one of their colleagues in a commercial tricycle he hired to the Barracks.
A report by the Wa Municipal Hospital authorities indicate that three persons including Mr Cletus Awuni, the Upper West Regional Public Relations Officer, reported to the Hospital with injuries sustained as a result of the brutality.
Mr Awuni and one Mr Mahama Gafaru, whose right leg was fractured, were referred to the Regional Hospital for further medical attention and Mr Gafaru has since undergone surgery.
GNA