Traditional Council bans two Kple groups

The Tema Traditional Council has banned two Kple Groups; ‘Ayeserker and Boys Abre’ from operating within the territorial jurisdiction of Tema.

The two youth groups normally participate in processions during the Kplejoo festival, but were linked to some criminal activities in the area.

The two groups have developed enmity among themselves and have been engaging in all manner of criminal activities including; destruction of property, and using the Kplejoo as an excuse to rob people of their mobile phones, Nii Amarh Somponu II, Tema Shipi and Stool Secretary announced on Wednesday at Tema.

Nii Somponu stressed that the town and the Council had tolerated enough of their behaviour, which he noted had lasted for about seven years.

“We have tolerated this thing for too long, for the past seven years that has been the trend. But it is assuming a dimension that if care is not taken, something catastrophic might happen. In view of that the Council has decided to ban the two groups,” he said.

He added that their behaviour was spoiling the beauty of the festival as according to him they sometimes collect garbage from the dumpsite to pour on the principal streets of the town in addition to smashing people’s cars.

He regretted that the groups were creating fear among residents as people feared what activity they might engage in whenever the festival draws near.

This is the second time the groups had been banned, as Nii Somponu explained that the first ban was lifted after they promised to be of good behaviour only for them to surface again after some time.

Meanwhile, the Kplejoo festival had been cancelled by the TTC in line with measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the town.