Curfew on Anloga, Keta reviewed

Page 3, November 10, 2007
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE Ministry of the Interior has reviewed the curfew imposed on the Anloga and Keta areas as a result of the disturbances that erupted in the Anlo Traditional Area last week.
The dusk-to-down curfew, which was running from 6.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m., has now been reviewed to run from 8.00 p.m. to 5.00 a.m. every day and will now cover only Anloga and its immediate environs, including Tegbi, Woe, Whuti and Atorkor.
“Keta is no more covered by the curfew,” Mr Kwamena Bartels, the Minister of the Interior, who announced this in Parliament yesterday, said, adding that the action was “in fulfilment of my responsibility under Section 4 (3) of the Public Order Act, 1994 (Act 491)”.
The section states thus: “No curfew shall be imposed for a period exceeding seven days at any one time under this act.”
The curfew that was imposed on November 2, 2007 came to an end at 12 midnight last Thursday.
He said even though no unusual incidents had occurred in the area since the imposition of the curfew, the situation continued to be potentially volatile.
The minister stated that the police and military presence in Anloga and Keta “shall, however, be maintained to ensure law and order and to consolidate the current calm that is prevailing in the area, while we continue to monitor the situation closely”.
Mr Bartels said the ban on the possession of arms and ammunition in the Keta and Anloga areas still remained in force and took the opportunity to appeal to all traditional and opinion leaders and citizens of the Anlo Traditional Area to support the government in its efforts to ensure peace, security, law and order in the area.
“Let me appeal particularly to the press to exercise circumspection in reporting issues arising out of the explosion of violence in Anlo,” he said.
He stated that issues of chieftaincy were very sensitive, emotive and explosive, saying that the role of the press was very important in determining whether peace and tranquillity returned or whether another explosion would occur.
The minister asked the media to let the lesson from the role played by a particular radio station in inciting the genocide in Rwanda serve as their guide.
“The government would like to urge all parties to settle the issue of who is the rightful heir to the Anlo Paramount Stool through the constitutionally recognised structures of the Regional and National Houses of Chiefs or the courts,” he noted.
Mr Bartels reiterated the government’s position not to interfere in chieftaincy affairs but added that “it will take all necessary steps to ensure that law and order prevail throughout the country”.
Contributing to the statement, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Anlo, Mr Clement Humado, thanked the government for reducing the curfew hours and expressed the hope that the curfew itself would eventually be lifted.
“I am happy that Keta has been excluded from the curfew,” he said, adding that the situation in the Anlo Traditional Area was gradually improving, although the people had adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
Mr Humado informed the House that a faction in the dispute intended to meet next Tuesday at Keta and called for measures to halt that meeting, which was likely to spark off another violence.
He said he had been in constant touch with the district chief executive for the area and explained that the cost of maintaining the peacekeepers in the area was enormous. He appealed to the government to assist the assembly to face that challenge.