Somanya riots: Police weren’t ‘combat ready’ – MP

Personnel of the Ghana Police Service were not adequately prepared in dealing with the rioters at Somanya in the Eastern Region, Yilo Krobo MP Magnus Kofi Amoatey has said.

According to him, if the Police were prepared, the mob would not have overcome them to engage in the riot.

On Monday, May 29, seven persons suspected to have engaged in riots over electricity bills at Somanya were arrested.

The residents attacked the police following the arrest of an assemblyman who organised a demonstration against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the area last week in connection with huge discrepancies in electricity bills. Property belonging to ECG were vandalised during the demonstration.

Mr Ebenezer Dendenden Adamtey, the ringleader, was arrested by the police on Monday, sparking the riots by the residents who demanded his immediate release.

Commenting on Police preparedness in handling the situation in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom, on Accra100.5FM on Tuesday, May 30, Mr Amoatey said: “As at the time I was leaving there yesterday, I knew that they had beefed up security in the town.

“But one of the issues I raised about the development was that I did not think the Police was combat ready for the operation they undertook yesterday to arrest the assemblyman.

“If they were combat ready, the mob wouldn’t have overrun them, but now I think they are ready for any eventuality. They will have to do their work and maintain law and order in the town.”