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Cape Three Points residents deny militia presence but…

  • SOURCE: | qwesa2big
  • Residents and opinion leaders in the Cape Three Points, venue of Ghana’s oil find are bemused over media reports of militia groups springing up in the area.

    The Today Newspaper in its October 20 edition reported that a group – Cape Militia, is threatening mayhem if residents do not benefit from the oil revenues.

    The Militia purports to be the spokespersons of the many unemployed youth in the area.

    Speaking to Joy News, the reporter, Samuel Ampah said he had personally spoken to members of the Militia who showed him locally made guns and ammunitions, albeit in small quantities.

    But the residents say the reports cannot be true.

    Some of them who spoke with Joy FM’s Western regional correspondent. Kweku Owusu Peprah were incensed at the report.

    Mr. Ebo Hazel Ferguson, an indigene of the Cape Three Points area said the publication is "malicious" and cannot be true.

    "And all that I can say is that these are very poor people who cannot even feed themselves. Money they don’t have. How can they form militia, for what?" he quizzed.

    He however conceded that there is widespread agitation over land and chieftaincy in the area.

    A youth leader in the area also claimed he has not seen any ammunition of any shape or form, nor heard of any militia group being formed in the area.

    The District Chief Executive of the area, Jones Amoah corroborated the concerns of the residents, saying the people are very peaceful and would not indulge in any violent attacks.

    As the chairman of the District Security Council, the DCE said he has no knowledge of such a militia group and the report must be discarded.

    But security analyst at the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Centre, Dr Kwesi Aning, disagrees.

    He said the reports could be early signals of potential or actual frustrations which government must begin to look at seriously.

    According to him, a research he conducted in the area a little over a year ago, revealed an even more alarming situation than what has been reported in the newspaper.

    He advised national security to explore the regional risks brought about as a result of the oil find and look for lasting solutions even before the oil is drilled later in the year.

    He expressed disappointment with the dismissive attitude by the DCE, saying even the land and chieftaincy wrangling in the area could degenerate.
    http://news.myjoyonline.com/business/201010/54328.asp

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