Hundreds of residents of Ashaiman who fell victim to the military brute force on Tuesday, 7th March, 2023 are calling for justice and immediate compensation.
The victims, led by political and traditional authorities, are asking President Nana Akufo-Addo to, as matter of urgency, do the needful.
They disclosed this at a media briefing dubbed Ashaiman Lives Matter at Taifa, a suburb of Ashaiman.
Spokesperson for the conveners of the meeting, Emmanuel Kumadey, who is a lawyer, extended heartfelt condolences to family of the 21-year-old trooper, Imoro Sherrif who was callously murdered in the area.
He condemned the act which has led to the death of the young soldier and urged the police to speed up investigation and bring culprits to book.
In a speech read on behalf of the victims, their families and people of Ashaiman, he called on the president to immediately release all victims in the custody of the military.
On Wednesday, Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in a statement stated that the intelligence-led operation at Ashaiman was sanctioned by the Military High Command which aimed at those who preyed on the life of Sherrif.
Although GAF insisted the swoop was not targeted at innocent civilians, the victims, their families and residents say the excessive force used by the personnel targeting almost everyone on Tuesday was in sharp contrast.
As a result, Emmanuel Kumadey on behalf of the people who were clad in red are demanding an unqualified apology from President Akufo-Addo who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Adom News can report that one of the demands of the residents is for the president to set up a committee to investigate the attacks carried out by the soldiers and punish the culprits accordingly.
The speech demanded that the president directs Minister for Defence to pay for all damaged property of Ashaiman residents caused by the uniformed personnel.
It also touched on compensation for all victims as well as provision of streetlights in all communities of Ashaiman as darkness played a major role in the death of the soldier.
For the conveners, victims and their families, justice delayed is justice denied.
They are calling on the Ghana Bar Association, religious bodies, civic societies among others to join hands in condemning the unjustifiable acts of the armed personnel.
The speech drew comparison between the country’s colonial past and what the military meted out to the residents with the act having no place in post-independence Ghana.
Since this is not the first attack on the residents, they are fed up with the military.
For them, it’s quite unfortunate the military intends to carry out the operation for an entire area to put fear in the residents.
Present at the briefing were Regent of Ashaiman, Nii Annan Adjor, Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Ernest Norgbey, former MP, Alfred Agbesi, former MP, Togbe Aheto, Constituency Chair for NPP, Alexander Amanor Nagbeku, victims, families among other conveners.