Omanhene of Gomoa Akyempim in the Central Region, Obrifo Ahunakor Ahor Ankobea is appealing to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to, as a matter of urgency, order the security services to demolish all “wee ghettos” in his community area.
He made the call at a durbar to welcome the the President to Buduburam as part of his electioneering campaign tour of the region.
According to the chief, the ghettos serve as a hub for criminals and for unscrupulous activities and that is not only tarnishing the image of the community, but also making resident feel unsafe.
He noted that some land and property owners use ghetto-dwelling wee smokers as land guards to harass people in the area and that is worrying.
“The ghetto boys now rent out houses and lease properties to people in the name of the traditional authority and they are not accountable to anyone,” he said. “They do what they want and get away with it.”
Obrifo Ahunakor Ahor Ankobea said Buduburam has now become known for murder, rape and all sort of ill activities, which has given the community a bad name across the entire West African sub-region.
He said due to the cosmopolitan nature of Buduburam, it is even difficult to find, arrest and punish the criminal, so the best way out is to completely demolish all ghettos in the area.
The chief is therefore asking the President to intervene and possibly establish a military base in the Buduburam area to help reduce crime.
He also appealed to the President to provide them with an overpass to ease congestion of vehicular traffic in the Buduburam, particularly caused by vehicles from Kasoa to Winneba Junction.
President Akufo-Addo assured the chiefs and people of Buduburam that he will order immediate steps to address the challenges raised by the chief with regards to the ghettos and criminal activities in the area.
He used the occasion to also highlight the achievement of his government in the last four years, making particular mention of free SHS, NABCo, Planting for Food and Jobs, One District One Factory, digitization of the economy and other interventions, which have been done by his government to ease burden on Ghanaians during his tenure.
The President charged the residents of Gomoa Buduburam to vote massively for the NPP in the upcoming polls to ensure continuous progress in their lives and that of their families.