Work at the North Tongu District Assembly has come to a standstill following the violent incidents in the area perpetrated by a secessionist group.
Collins Arkuis, the District Chief Executive of North Tongu, told Citi News that stealing of the assembly’s pick-up vehicle by members of the separatists’ group has crippled their operations.
“When they entered the office, our pick-up was also taken away. They seized our pickup and that is what they used for the operations,” Mr. Arkuis recounted told Citi News.
“These people have been reported to national security. The security personnel are solidly on the ground. They are gathering all the intelligence to apprehend the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.”
Aside from attacking the North Tongu District Assembly and making away with the Toyota Hilux pick-up, members of the Homeland Study Group Foundation also took the official Toyota Land cruiser pickup belonging to the Tongu Divisional Commander of Police, Dennis Fiakpui.
The activities of the secessionists escalated over the last few days, beginning with the mounting of roadblocks on key entry points to the region and attacks on police.
They mounted roadblocks on the Juapong–Accra and Sogakope–Accra main roads.
Some attackers also besieged the Aveyime and Mepe police stations freeing inmates and making away with assault rifles and shotguns.
At least one person was killed following the ensuing confrontations between security personnel and the purported secessionists.
About 35 persons were arrested following the disturbances on Friday.
On Monday, 31 of them were put before a circuit court in Accra and charged on three counts of conspiracy to commit the crime of rioting, substantive offence of rioting and being at an unlawful place.
In the most recent incident, purported secessionists attacked the State Transport Corporation (STC) in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, and set ablaze one of its buses.
The station is not expected to be able to serve commuters in the short term.
