By Regina Benneh, GNA
Sunyani, Oct. 19, GNA – Two persons have lost
their lives and 15 others including a-year old child have sustained
gunshot wounds in a renewed clash between two neighbouring towns,
Japekrom and Drobo in the Jaman South Municipality of the Brong-Ahafo
Region.
Residents in the two towns are living in fear
and panic, whilst socio-economic activities have come to a standstill because
schools have closed down and movement of persons and vehicles have ceased.
Chief Inspector Augustine Kingsley Oppong, the
regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), confirmed to the Ghana
News Agency (GNA) on Thursday in Sunyani that the clash resulted from a
protracted dispute over some communal issues between the two towns.
The Regional Police PRO said there was a heavy
Police-Military personnel presence in the two towns to maintain law and
order and to protect lives and properties.
Chief Inspector Oppong narrated that one of
the deceased, 42-year old ‘Wofa’ (Uncle) Atta Sina, the
Mmranteehene (youth leader) of Japekrom died on
Wednesday afternoon from a gunshot.
He explained the late youth leader was leading
a group of people, including chiefs back home from a riverside, where they
had gone to perform rituals as part of activities marking the
upcoming annual ‘Munufie’ Yam festival, when the shooting incident
allegedly triggered by an alleged irate youth of Drobo happened.
Chief Inspector Oppong said all the injured
persons had been sent to the Sampa Government Hospital for treatment and the
bodies of the deceased had also been deposited at the Hospital’s mortuary
for autopsy.
He said no arrest had yet been made,
but the security personnel in the area would be maintained to bring the
situation under control.
Chief Inspector Oppong said the Police had
started thorough investigations to arrest the perpetrators of the offense to
face the law.
GNA