Dr. Kwabena Donkor, MP, Pru
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Pru East, Dr. Kwabena Donkor has appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh to engage the police to flush out highway robbers from the eastern corridor side of the Bono East region.
The former Minister for Power lamented the activities of the criminals in the area are inhibiting the local businesses in the Sene East, Sene West, Pru East, Pru West, and Atebubu Amantin constituencies.
He has therefore called on the National Security, and Interior Ministers to intervene so that motorists and traders could ply that stretch of the highway with ease.
Dr. Donkor’s concern stems from the rampant robbery incidents in the area in recent times.
A 30-year-old commercial driver, Mohammed Yakubu, was shot dead by suspected highway robbers while he was en route to Kumasi to deliver charcoal he had loaded in his truck from Nyankontere in the Sene West district.
The incident happened on the Sanwakyi–Patuda road in the Atebubu Amantin Municipality of the Bono East region around 8 pm when it was raining.
Reports indicate the robbers accosted and shot him in the head and injured his mate, Nuhu Ibrahim. Police say Ibrahim was stuck in the car till the police arrived at the crime scene.
The Atebubu Amantin Divisional Police Commander ACP Samuel Alordey who confirmed the incident to journalists said Ibrahim was receiving treatment at the Atebubu Government Hospital while the body of the deceased has been sent to St. Mathias Mortuary at Yeji by Police.
ACP Alordey also bemoaned the escalating robbery incidents in the area and assured that his outfit will clamp down on the criminals.
But Dr. Kwabena Donkor who believes the security in the area needs to be improved wants IGP to intervene.
He told XYZ Parliamentary correspondent Princess Arita Anim that some of the residents within his constituency are fleeing for their lives due to the increasing insecurity along the eastern corridor road of the Bono East Region.
“Residents in Sene East, Sene West, Pru East, and Pru West and Atebubu Amantin are being harassed by robbers almost every week. Recently, robbers killed a military officer in my constituency-Pru East and this is a worrying situation,” the former Power Minister observed.
He mentioned that incidents of armed robberies have become rampant and gravely affecting economic activities within the Constituency, disclosing that traders in the area always feel reluctant to travel to Kumasi at dawn to purchase goods.
Dr. Donkor said when the police intensify security operations and safeguard the corridor which is in a bad state, economic activities, which have dwindled due to the robbery cases, will be revived in the four districts.