Humanitarian Crisis Looms In Anlo

It has just been confirmed that the Chief Taxi Driver of Anloga, Mr Sefogah, who was also arrested in the swoop that netted all the youth in and around Lashibi has passed away this morning in the hands of the security agencies as a result of the continuous brutalities to compel him to divulge information on the killing of the policeman.

Others are still tied in ropes and various forms of torture are being meted out to them to give out information on the missing AK-47, the police uniform and anything they know about those who murdered the policeman who let the first trigger off killing two instantly.

In all this, a convoy of ten Toyota Landcruisers under heavy police escort with Francis Nyonyo Agboada in one of them could still be seen roving the streets of Anloga and Keta fro and to various shrines even in the face of the Attorney-General’s directives for the cessation of all activities with regards to the installation.

The human cost to the situation in Anloga and its environs is increasing. Brutalities from the team of police officer and soldiers are on the increase too. Occupants of any vehicle that enters the area are made to come down, hold their ears and hop for about hundred meters before made to lie prostrate or sit on the bare floor with both hands on their heads like war captives. They are then tied and bundled into waiting police vans and taken to unknown destinations. This is irrespective of whether you are a stranger or a native of the traditional area.

Women and children who show sympathy or try to resist the police or soldiers from brutalizing their fathers and brothers are added to the list and beaten up brutally.

Currently, over ten thousand refugees are spilling out of the Anlo-Keta area to neighboring Togo and other places they consider safe havens.

Schools, banks and social life have all come to a complete halt and a humanitarian crisis looms over the Anloga-Keta area where even those who remain cannot have access to essential necessities to hold body and soul together.

Attempts to reach my own mother, Faustine Ahiatrogah, have proved futile for the last two days. She had fled her home and so are many others.

After all, those who are preaching democracy and human rights to us to the extent that the peace and freedom our people enjoyed until recently are not democratic themselves. They should understand that the freedom guaranteed by the constitution of Ghana is not for just some group of people and for that matter at their behest. The same freedom must be accorded all manner of people-Rich, Poor, Weak, Strong and what have you.

In conclusion, may I ask why politicians would not leave chiefs and the chieftaincy institution alone? Democracy and chieftaincy cannot continue to be bedfellows and we are seeing that in many parts of the country. The earlier politicians stopped meddling in chieftaincy, the better it would be for the growth of our democratic structures.