Soldiers to battle armed robbers

Tamale, Dec. 28, GNA - Lieutenant-Colonel William Omane Agyekum, Commanding Officer (CO) of the Six Infantry Battalion, has pledged his unit's support to flush out armed robbers in the country with all its might.

He said the current spate of armed robbery in the country needed special attention from the security forces and appealed to the general public to support the security services to contain the situation. "It appears these armed robbers have taken us hostage in our own country. We have to fight them with all our might," he said. Lt. Col. Agyekum was speaking at this year's West African Soldiers Social Activities (WASSA) organised by the Ghana Armed Forces at the Kamina Barracks in Tamale on Thursday.

The Commanding Officer said the Ghana Armed Forces were preparing to collaborate with other security agencies to provide the necessary security for the successful hosting of Ghana 2008 scheduled to take place next January.

Lt-Col. Agyekum reminded the security forces of the onerous security challenges that next year's general election would bring and urged them to be ready for the task ahead.

"The events of Election 2004 should be fresh in our memories. We should all be prepared to take up the challenges that the coming year would pose," he said. He also advised members of the security forces, especially members of his unit, to empower their wives to undertake income-generating activities.

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, the Northern Regional Minister, commended the military for their efforts in maintaining peace in the country, especially in the conflict areas of the region. He assured them of government's support to enhance their performance in their security activities. Ten students from the unit's school who performed brilliantly at the 2006 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and three hardworking teachers received awards.