Francis Antwi aka Rev. Obofour and one of the victim
Adwoa
Amoako, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Tema West Assembly, reportedly
escaped being physically attacked by some agitated members of Anointed Chapel
International owned by Francis Antwi, popularly known as Reverend Obofour.
The
nasty incident occurred near Tema Community 18 Roundabout on Monday at about 11
am.
The
MCE and her officers were on the premises of the church to inspect building
permits and also collect property rates.
Officials
of the assembly, particularly the Municipal Finance Officer (MFO), was hit in
the rib with an object and his phone smashed, whilst the security officer of
the MCE was also hit with a stick on his waist and head causing him to bleed
profusely.
According
to eyewitnesses, the MCE escaped unhurt because some city guards had to use
their bodies to shield her into her car from the rampaging goons, but they
managed to cause damage to the car in the process.
Dr.
Nana Ato Arthur, Head of Local Government Services, at a news conference
yesterday in Tema, condemned the action of Rev. Obofour’s church members and
said they would ensure that anyone found culpable would be made to face the
law.
He
said as part of improving the assembly’s revenue mobilization, the MCE led a
team made up of the head of works and taskforce, with five vehicles comprising pickups
and the MCE’s Nissan Patrol vehicle in a convoy to collect property rates,
building permits, among others.
He
said his checks showed that Rev. Obofour had refused to honour five different
summons issued by the assembly for him to produce building permits for the
construction of the church and other facilities.
“Whilst
at the church, the assembly officials requested their building permit documents
which they failed to produce. The taskforce was then instructed to write on a portion
of the church the inscription ‘Stop work and produce permit by TWMA,” he
explained.
He
said when TWMA tried to write on the building, some members of the church
rushed on the assembly’s officials.
“They
took their red paint and poured it on them. They closed their main entrance and
started assaulting some of them with metals and sticks, and smashed their
vehicles. The engineer, MFO and the rest of the taskforce received their fair
share of the beatings and also smashed the vehicle of the engineer and his cell
phone,” he narrated.
“We
would like to inform Ghanaians that church/mosque are under the state and not
the vice versa. In this regard, they are expected to act responsibly and desist
from disobedience, violence and vigilantism,” he cautioned.
Fresh Arrests
DAILY
GUIDE learnt that five persons
were apprehended and sent to the Sakumono District Police Headquarters where they are assisting in investigations.
TDC Statement
Later,
the TDC Development Company issued a statement, saying “TDC Development Company
Limited survey department and Tema layout has revealed that Reverend Obofour’s
Church Anointed Chapel International situated at Community 19 near T and T
Properties do not have any valid land documents from TDC.
“The
said church in dispute does not also have any permit processing documents with
TDC since the area the church is situated has been declared inhabitable for
both residential and commercial purposes due to its closeness to a waterway
that floods the whole area anytime it rains.”
Reports say Rev. Obofour was not on the premises of the church when the incident occurred.
From Vincent Kubi, Tema
