Compensate brutalised civilians – Wa Naa to government

The government must provide some compensation to all the innocent civilians in Wa who were recently brutalised by armed soldiers, the overlord of the Wa Traditional Area, Wa Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV, has said.

The overlord made the demand when a high-powered delegation from the Ghana Armed Forces, called on him to apologise following the torture of civilians in the Upper West regional capital by soldiers who claimed their mobile phone had been stolen.

The traditional leader also said the unprofessional behaviour of the soldiers must not go unpunished.

“The events of yesterday [Thursday, 1 July 2021] constitute a breach of the mutual trust and respect we had for each other and the only damage reparation we can accept is if the men dragging the reputation of the noble profession of the military into disrepute are fished out and appropriately punished without delay, nothing less.”

“We also expect a form of compensation packages for those who suffered serious atrocities in their hands,” noted a speech read on the overlord’s behalf by his spokesperson Naa Kadiri Abubakari.

He added: “I take the opportunity to inform the military high command that, as a result of the act, there is a young man in the palace right now who is still unable to find his tricycle.”

Nonetheless, he urged his subjects to restrain themselves.

“I wish to call on the peace-loving and good people of the Wala Traditional Area and the Upper West Region not to allow the extreme provocative action of a misguided few of our men in uniform to push them to take the law into their hands. We are above this,” he urged.

The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah, who led the delegation, rendered an unqualified apology to the overlord and his subjects on behalf of the Ghana Armed Forces.

“It took all of us by surprise last night when we saw the video of people in military uniforms on the streets of Wa challenging civilians”.

“And after thorough investigations, we got to know that they were part of soldiers from the very unit that we have set up over here to protect civilians”, he said.

“So, without wasting time at all, the military high command met, and the decision was taken immediately for me to come here to apologise for what happened and to tell you that all those involved in this act will be brought to book”.

“They are subject to the military code of discipline and we will apply the appropriate sanctions”, he promised.

“Again, I want to reassure you that we wouldn’t let this single occurrence mar our relationship at all,” Major General Oppong-Peprah said.