By Christopher Tetteh
Diabaa (B/R), Aug. 23, GNA – Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister has condemned as unpatriotic and criminal, the burning of a newly constructed Military Bay at Diabaa in the Dormaa West District of the region.
The youth of Diabaa, a farming community last Wednesday set ablaze a Military Bay and a metal container providing shelter for staff of the Forestry Commission (FC)/Forestry Services Division (FSD) at a check point in the area as a result of misunderstanding between the youth and local FC/FSD staff.
Madam Owusu-Banahene gave the condemnation when she was accompanied by officials of the FC/FSD, as well as the Dormaa Central and Dormaa West Chief Executives and their respective Police Commands’ Heads to visit the crime scene.
The visit was to enable the Regional Minister who is the Head of the Regional Security Council (RegSec) to ascertain the extent of damage and the motive behind that criminal act.
Speaking to the media after a close door security meeting held at the Dormaa West Assembly conference room at Nkrankwanta, the capital, Madam Owusu-Banahene announced the REGSEC would conduct fact-finding investigation into that arson incident to apprehend the culprits for prosecution to ensure absolute calm environment in the Dormaa area.
She said the Military Bay with installed solar panels and water access was constructed by the Regional Coordinating Council in collaboration with Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
The Military Bay, designed to accommodate 30 soldiers, was to tighten security at the boarder communities for the protection of lives and property in the entire Dormaa enclave of the region.
Madam Owusu-Banahene urged the youth to desist from such barbaric activities and rather be alive to their responsibilities by contributing passively to the national process of development.
She stated such negative conducts drew back development because “using petro and matches in such a criminal manner don’t give solutions to socio-economic survival related issues”.
Dr. Ebenezer Djagbletey, the Acting Director of Operations, FC in further interview expressed “complete disapproval” of the unfortunate incident on behalf of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission.
He stated “Ghana is not a lawless state”, hence the FC would ensure the law would take its course for the perpetrators to be arrested and face prosecution.
Dr. Djagbletey noted the attitude of illegal chain-sawing, illegal-logging and lumbering had been on the ascendancy, hence the need for the state to deploy security personnel to beef up security to protect national property such as the ‘Mpamesu’ Forest Reserve, a national heritage in the area.
Mr Francis Kwadwo Oppong, the Dormaa West DCE told the Ghana News Agency that no arrest had been made yet.
GNA