Somanya riots: Police in firm control – Eastern regional Minister

The Eastern regional police command is in firm control of the security situation at Somanya, Eric Kwakye Darfour, the Eastern Regional Minister, has assured.

According to him, as of the morning of Tuesday, May 30, calm had been restored to the area, hence there was no need for fear or panic.

His comments follow the arrest of seven persons suspected to have engaged in riots over electricity bills at Somanya on Monday, May 29.

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.

But speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom, on Accra100.5FM on Tuesday, May 30, Mr Darfour said: “If need be, the Regional Security Council [REGSEC] will meet on the development, but as we speak the situation has been handled by the police. They are in firm control of the situation at hand.

“I must add that as a people we may have some genuine concerns but how we proceed in making those concerns known will be a problem. I will want to tell the people to find proper and acceptable ways of making their concerns known.”