Accra, Feb. 20, GNA - Nana Owusu-Nsiah, Inspector General of Police on Friday met some Heads of the Ada Traditional area, who have threatened to embark on demonstrations to seize the Songhor Salt Company.
This follows an ultimatum they issued to government to repeal PNDC law 207 on the mining of salt from the Songhor lagoon within one week or face a forceful takeover by its members.
The meeting that was called at the instance of the Police administration was to advise the members to exercise restraint in order for them not to endanger the peace in the area.
Nana Owusu-Nsiah urged the factions to cooperate with the police to maintain the law and order, while they seek redress for whatever grievances they have with the government, amicably.
The Police Boss noted that as peace officers, their presence in the township as at now, was not to molest anyone, but to maintain law and order.
He declared, " The police would certainly resist any action which is not in conformity with customs and laws of the country." Nana Owusu-Nsiah, who is also the Mawerehene of the Berekum Traditional Area extended a hand of partnership to the leaders presence at the meeting to help maintain discipline in the area.
He noted that even though they may have genuine concerns, it was important that they use peaceful methods to settle.
He warned that the Police would not spare any opinion or youth leaders who might lead any group to cause chaos in the salt mining area. On his part, Mr Joseph Amartey Tachie, Secretary to the Ada Traditional Area who spoke on behalf of the Headsmen said the people are for peace but wanted the right thing to be done in the area. He said, " We are fighting for our birthright or heritage."
He said the government promised them that the law would be repealed in six months in April 2001 but to date nothing had been done to that effect.
Mr Tachie said they feel that government had no intention to repeal the law hence their intention to voice out their frustrations. He said government proposed five options for the takover bid of the lagoon of which they decided on the fourth option but have since not heard from the government.
Mr Tachie said they do not agree with the option of giving the lagoon to investors for them to be given only compensation but would want to run the industry themselves.
He said the lagoon was held in trust for the people of the traditional area and not for the State of Ghana.
He said ever since 1992, when the PNDC Law 207 came into force on mining in the lagoon for instance, though the law demanded the Auditor-General to periodically audit the accounts, no auditing had been done to date.
Among the leaders present were Nene Tei Akwada, Famous Akumbu, the Senior Police officer, Mr Patrick Acheampong, Deputy Inspector General of Police In- Charge of Operations, Mrs. Elizabeth Mills-Robertson Deputy Inspector General of Police In-Charge of Administration.
