The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, says the driver of the police water cannon used during the Ejura riots must be rewarded.
According to him, the driver took a very intelligent position to reverse amid the uneasy calm in the community although it was risky.
“That is why I have even said that the man if you are lucky and we play the clip, the driver of the water cannon vehicle must be rewarded because he took a very intelligent position to reverse though it was risky,” he said.
Appearing before the three-member committee set up to probe the disturbances on Monday, Mr Osei-Mensah said but for this strategic move, issues could have escalated.
“The language they [protesters] were saying, I don’t understand Hausa but those who interpreted to me said we have been effective and we have defeated them, they are running away. So assuming the vehicle had stopped, anything at all could have happened,” he noted.
His comment comes on the back of a shooting incident on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, which led to the death of two persons; Nasiru Abdul Yussif and Muntala Mohammed.
They were part of an irate youth protesting the death of a social media activist, Ibrahim Mohammed aka Kaaka Macho.
Kaaka Macho died from head injuries three days after being admitted at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, following an alleged mob attack.
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His death angered the youth of Ejura who went on a protest in the community on Monday evening, demanding justice and continued on Tuesday.
However, a combined police-military team deployed to maintain peace and order reportedly fired shots into the crowd, killing two people and four injured.