Security chiefs meet in Kumasi to calm tension

Kumasi, June 8, GNA - Security chiefs of the military and the police on Monday held crisis meetings in Kumasi to soothe strained relations between personnel of the two security agencies.

They met behind closed doors to determine the underlining causes of the frequent clashes between the police and military personnel in the Ashanti Region.

The antagonism between them 'hit the roof' at the weekend when it was alleged that military officers launched violent attacks on police personnel, who were on duty at different points in the Kumasi Metropolis.

The soldiers believed to have come from the Four Battalion of Infantry (4BN), injured 12 police personnel, who were treated and discharged at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

A source at the Ashanti Regional Police Command told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on condition of anonymity that Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, led a high powered team from the Police Headquarters in Accra to meet officers and men of the Service.

A similar meeting was also held at the headquarters of the Northern Command by top ranking officers of the military in Kumasi. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Patrick Timbillah, the Regional

Police Commander, earlier in the day told journalists that the military a nd police high commands had agreed to hold a joint durbar to amicably addres s the issue.

There had been a number of military attacks on police personnel in Ashanti, but the weekend's assault was said to be the worse in terms of t he extent of injuries and the number of policemen involved. Residents in the Kumasi Metropolis have expressed grave concern abou t the situation, given its far reaching implications for the peace and security in the region. They said indiscipline and bad conduct by personnel of the two secur ity agencies could pose serious threat to the people in the region. They had therefore called for a lasting solution to the problem.