Elmina Chief Leads fight against crime

A special taskforce made up of the Elmina Police and the various “Mbrantsehen” (youth leaders) and other members of the Edina Traditional Council demolished and set ablaze several structures at an emerging slum particularly near the Elmina Castle and Edina-Bantuma.

Led by the Paramount Chief of the Edina Traditional Area, Nana Kojo Conduah VI, the taskforce which started the exercise in the early hours of Tuesday, demolished gaming centers which had become the hide outs of criminals.

Television sets, gaming devices and other equipment at the gaming centers were confiscated and sent to the Elmina Police Station.

Nana Kojo Conduah told the GNA in an interview after the exercise that the move was to clamp down on criminal activities particularly the snatching of phones, bags and other personal effects which had become rampart.

He said it was also to reduce truancy and dropout among school children who spend several hours and money meant for school on gambling at the gaming centres instead of joining their colleagues at school.

The Paramount Chief said he would not relent on ensuring that criminal activities and truancy were reduced for discipline to be restored in the town and tasked the “mbrantsehen” and other members to be on the watch out and report to the Council anybody who would attempt to re-erect the structures.

He said the exercise had already received several commendations especially from parents whose children were actively involved in gambling with the reason that they had tried in vain to encourage their children to focus on their education.

Nana Kojo Conduah said he would ensure that education of children was made paramount to ensure a better future for the youth of the area.

Some operators of the gaming centres said they had permit from the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo- Abrem (KEEA) Municipal Assembly but when the Chief Executive of KEEA, Mr. Isaac Kweku Sam was contacted, he denied knowledge of such permits and also declined to comment on the exercise.