DESTRUCTIVE YOUTH RELEASED, CURFEW HOURS REVIEWED

The Ashanti Regional Security Council, REGSEC, has released all the about 40 persons arrested yesterday by the Police for initiating moves to re-launch violence in the Tafo township and also daring the security operatives. 

They, together with all other key actors of last Wednesday’s violence at Tafo identified in a video footage captured in the heat of the crisis will however continue to be under the periscope of the security agencies to ensure that they don’t do anything that could further hurt the safety, peace and security of the area. 

 The REGSEC has also reviewed the curfew hours as imposed on the Tafo township from the initial 6pm to 6am not to 8pm to 4am beginning tonight which happens to be the third night of the curfew.

 These decisions by the Ashanti REGSEC come on the back of a visit of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Sharabutu to Tafo in Kumasi today, Friday February 12.

Background

Last Wednesday, violence erupted within the Tafo township of Kumasi as a result of a misunderstanding between the Zongo Community and the chief of the town, Nana Agyen Frimpong. 

The irate Zongo youth subsequently resorted to indiscriminate destruction to both public and private property while one person was shot dead with many others sustaining various degrees of injury. 

The situation became a serious disruption to the safety, peace and security of the area for which reason the Ashanti Regional Security Council took certain swift measures to protect life and property and also to check the problem from escalating to other places within the Kumasi metropolis. 

Among the measures were the deployment of heavy security operatives to the town while a dusk to dawn curfew was imposed. 

This is what prompted the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Sharabutu to visit Tafo. 

 THE NATIONAL CHIEF IMAM'S VISIT

The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Sharabutu, was accompanied by leading figures within the Muslim Community in Ghana as well as the Ashanti Regional Chief Imam, Sheikh Moomin Haroun and the MP for Asawase, Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka. 

The National Chief Imam was joined by members of the Ashanti Regional Security Council led by its Chairman, Peter Anarfi-Mensah together with the General Officer Commanding, Central Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, Brigadier General Joseph Boampong. 

They first called on the chief of Tafo, Nana Agyen Frimpong, his elders and some opinion leaders at the Palace where they held a closed door meeting. 

It was later gathered from a leading figure at the Palace that Nana Agyen Frimpong was satisfied with the peace talks and that he habours no ill-feelings against members of the Zongo community. 

Speaking to the media later, Sheikh Osman Sharabutu expressed regret about the violence. 

According to him, the incident is not part of the Islamic belief saying that if the youth had exercised a bit of self-restraint, the crisis could have been easily avoided. 

From the Palace, Sheikh Osman Sharabutu and the entourage visited the Old Tafo Central Mosque where he took advantage of the time to worship with the Muslims there. 

Afterwards, the National Chief Imam advised Muslims, especially the youth to be aware of the fact that temptations and frustrations are bound to come their ways. 

However, they are obliged by the tenets of the Islamic faith to conquer such tendencies. Muslim leaders and other people who took turns to address the worshipers expressed regret about last Wednesday’s violence and reprimanded the perpetrators for the despicable act. 

They all however appealed to the authorities to review the curfew hours as imposed on the Tafo township as well as the release of the arrested persons to facilitate the peace process. 

On his part, the Ashanti REGSEC Chairman, Peter Anarfi-Mensah, on behalf of the Council, accepted to release all the 40 persons who were arrested for initiating moves to re-launch fresh attacks at Tafo and also for daring the security operatives.

 They, together with all other actors in the violence who were captured in a video footage during the heat of the crisis, will continue to be under the periscope of the security agencies. 

He described the action of the youth as regrettable and despicable since it has turned back the clock of socio-economic development. 

Mr. Anarfi-Mensah, who is also the outgoing Ashanti Regional Minister expressed condolences to the bereaved family of the person who died through the violence.