POLICE DEPLOYED POLICEMEN TO NUNGUA TO QUELL DISTURBANCES

09/04/08
Story: Mary Mensah
THE Police Administration yesterday deployed a number of policemen, including its Anti-Riot Control Unit, with two water canons to Nungua, a suburb of Accra, to quell disturbances in the town.
According to a police source, the move became necessary following information received that one of the claimants to the Nungua Stool, Nii Odai Ayiku, was planning to celebrate his 50th enstoolment anniversary with pomp and pageantry.
The source said there had been a protracted chieftaincy dispute at Nungua for many years and that the issue was before the Regional House of Chiefs at Dodowa and the Appeal Court.
The case had not been decided on yet so when information was received that the chief was planning to celebrate the anniversary, policemen were quickly dispatched to the area to ensure that all parties adhered to laid down rules and regulations, the source said.
The Dzasetse of Nungua, Nii Tsaatse Okley III, expressed his disappointment at the behaviour of the police, describing it as intimidating.
He said Nii Odai was born on April 5, 1942 and he decided to mark the day in his private house, near the Nungua Barrier, and not the palace, as was being alleged.
He said invitation cards were sent to people and just as Nii’s household were putting finishing touches to the programme, about 400 policemen, with water canons, stormed the premises and blocked the entrance to the house.
According to the Dzasetse, the police prevented invited guests from entering the house to wish Nii well, while only those who were in the house before the arrival of the police at 8.00 a.m. were allowed to leave.
He said the police remained at the entrance from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. before they left the scene, adding that although it was raining heavily, the police were not deterred by that.
He said if Nii had wanted to celebrate any anniversary, he would have done so at the palace in Nungua, not at his private residence, which was walled.
Nii Ayiku himself wondered why a mere birthday should attract such heavy police presence with water canons and expressed his displeasure at being associated with bloodshed when he was a peaceful person.