The deceased was allegedly shot by Chinese national at Wassa Akropong
A group calling itself, Wassa Amenfi Youth Network for Development (WAYN-DEV) in the Amenfi East District of the Western Region is demanding the whereabout of the Chinese nationals who allegedly shot a youth of Wassa Akropong to death.
There have been chaotic scenes since last Friday, 6th October 2017 after a 30-year-old Ghanaian, Godwin Quaicoo (Nana Bouh), a lotto operator, was shot by a Chinese national after a dispute over services rendered by another resident, who is a plumber.
The youth are demanding prosecution of the Chinese national who carried out the dastardly act, as the police have made four arrests so far.
The four Chinese who were arrested by the police on Sunday, 8th October 2017 were named as Chu Chan Jun, 34, Li Ju, 33, Su Soglan, 46, and Jan Gi Hi 49.
In a news conference held at Wassa Akropong on Monday, 9th October 2017 and addressed by the Executive Director, Simon Peter Adabor demanding the whereabout of the Chinese nationals and an immediate prosecution without any delay.
"We, therefore, want to ask the security agencies, especially to provide adequate updates and details of the whereabout of the said culprits and the prosecution processes"
The youth are therefore calling for freedom and justice to prevail in Wassa Amenfi and its environs.
Below is the full press statement;
PRESS STATEMENT ON THE EVENT OF A CHINESE KILLING A YOUTH OF WASSA AMENFI AND MATTERS ARISING, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY THE WASSA AMENFI YOUTH NETWORK FOR DEVELOPMENT (WAYN-DEV)
DATE: MONDAY, 9TH OCTOBER 2017. INTRODUCTION
Greetings,
Welcome to ladies and gentlemen, especially our reliable friends of the media. Our gathering today has been an emergency one even with heavy hearts. And such has been the circumstance due to a huge sense of urgency for appropriate steps towards real development in our Wassa Amenfi area. We apologise for the short notice of invitation and also commend you for your swift response to this call. You all welcome to Wassa Amenfi.
A majority of you, the press, have been interested in issues of Wassa Amenfi over the past few years all because of the seeming boom in economic activities in our area. But we are aware that, of your much more interest has been the quest to bring to light the recent happenings in our area since the late ours of Friday, 6th October 2017.
We would like to, however, give this stern caution that kindly report diligently and accurately to your world what is said here. Failure to do so would invite our wrath.
THE UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT
It is recorded that one of our own, Godwin Quaicoo (Nana Buah a.k.a. Scorpy) was shot to death by a Chinese national in Wassa Akropong which sparked a few other seeming riots by a cross-section of angered youth in a section of town.
However, with the appropriate and timely intervention of our abled Paramount Chief, (Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II) even in that ungodly hours, and with the help of the available security, calm was restored shortly. Such interventions were also intensified the day after to help restrain a cross-section of the youth. We take this opportunity to commend the Omanhene and the security agencies for their swift response.
However, the quest lingers in our minds as to what actions must, and are being taken to bring the perpetrators of the ultimate incident to book. Believing in the rule of law in our country, we aware that per the laws of our country, a suspect cannot be detained for not more than Forty-Eight (48) hours after his arrest without being arranged before a court of competent jurisdiction.
We, therefore, want to ask the security agencies, especially to provide adequate updates and details of the whereabout of the said culprits and the prosecution processes. This and many other issues we would humbly leave in the hands of the bereaved family and the security and legal agencies.
MATTERS ARISING
The circumstances surrounding the untimely demise of our brother raise a lot of concerns for us youth, especially our Network. We analyse this incident as a climax of other incidences of intimidation, lawlessness, abuse of freedom, undermining of our hospitality and an increasing pace of insecurity in our area, following the insurgence of the Chinese expatriates in our peaceful land in the last few years.
On a different hand, time would not permit us to outline the numerous fruitful engagements our people have had with other foreign nationals, including the Chinese. It is even on record of attempts by our network to open the Wassa Amenfi Chapter of the Ghana-China Friendship Association (GHACHIFA), just a few months ago.
These were some measures we were trying to put in place to help promote a more peaceful cohabitation with our Chinese fellows.However, the unsuccessfulness of the process has partly contributed to the unguided, unregulated operations of the Chinese in our land.
Most alarming recently is the use of weapons by the Chinese secure their existence here in our homeland. The rhetoric questions keep coming up in our minds as future leaders that;
Who allows these foreigners into our peaceful land and with what mobility and operational permits?
Who helps obtain and license these deadly weapons being used by these foreigners, and who monitors their use?
How long are we, as native civilians, going to continue this cohabitation for the anticipated development?
If this incident could occur in the center of the capital town, where there is the presence of security agencies, then what would have happened if it happened in the interior parts of our districts were there no security presence?
How can we as natives ensure our safety and security against armed foreigners in our own land?
CONCLUSION
These are our unquenched thirsts as we seek to use this medium to summon the major stakeholders, especially the security agencies, with the District Chief Executive as the Chairperson, to step up their operations and programmes to reassure our youth and people that peaceful cohabitation with other foreign nationals is an ideal way for development.
Moreover, our senses are keenly on grounds in pursuit of Freedom and Justice, while we monitor the aftermath of this unfortunate incident which has been handed to the security and legal agencies.
We are a peace-loving people.
LONG LIVE THE YOUTH OF WASSA AMENFI
GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA.
May the soul of the Wassa Amenfi Youth departed especially Nana Buah rest in Perfect Peace.
Addressed by;
SimonPeter Adabor
Executive Director, WAYN-DEV.
