Omanba Kwadwo Boafo, host of Rite FM’s social and community development advocacy talk show, ‘Community Watch’ has donated items worth thousands of Ghana cedis and an undisclosed amount of money among four surviving victims of the police brutalities during the people of Krobo and Power Distribution Service (PDS) impasse which left one person dead and others maimed at Odumase-Krobo during 2019.
The items donated which includes; bag of rice, cooking Oil, tin tomatoes, Milo, Sugar, and Milk was given to the victims of whom have become bedridden as a result of the brutalities metted to them by the police.
Beneficiaries of the donations are; Ruth Makartha Tetteh,19, Tetteh Kortey, 42; Nanor Clement Tettey, and Narkotey Frank.
According to the Vocal Broadcaster Boafo, the rational behind the donations was to show love and support to the victims in this very difficult moments of COVID 19, especially when 22nd May, mark exactly a year when the sad incident occurs as he reminiscences the moment during which he reported on the scene as journalist.
“We need to show them love for them to know that what has happened to them, there are people who still remember them, love them, who are still with them and will be with them in times of difficulties.”
“If after this thing happened to them because they taught they were fighting for the land and no body made approach towards them or show some kind of love towards them, at the end of the day the kind of pain and psychological trauma they will be going through, in fact, you may not have idea,” Omanba Kwadwo Boafo said.
After the presentation “he entreated the victims to remained courageous, optimistic and prayerful adding, that once they possesses life they have everything hence shouldn’t downhearted; stating that what they deserved will one day get to them.”
He nevertheless warns that as a Journalist and a human right advocate, such an uncalled-for act should never again be repeated on the Krobo land, pointing that the occurrence had left a bad mark in the municipality hence tarnishing the good image of ‘Krobos’.
To conclude with, Omanba Kwadwo Boafo called on all stakeholders in the area to assist the victims in all front and help in the fight to demand justice for the affected persons admonishing that the victims of the PDS Saga indeed ‘needs justice’ from appropriate authorities.
Victims responses
Ruth Tetteh, a victim whose leg was amputated as a result of bullet wound she sustained during the sad incident, commended the Rite FM’s Presenter and his team to her plight in a surprised manner.
“God bless you for what you have done for me because I wasn’t expecting this surprise. I never had in mind that you were coming along with items when you called me.”
“When I saw the team, I felt some happiness within me because I never expected it so may God bless you for the happiness planted in me so that you will get more money to be able to do the same thing next time,” she emotionally said in tears.
Another victim, Narnor Clement Tettey, who used to play for Akro Heroes (a second division team in the area) revealed that before the incident he had an opportunity to continue his footballing career in abroad, only to be disrupted with the incident, adding that he’s going through hardship and anguish with no external help to his care.
“I have been going through a lot of trauma and difficulties ever since I got injured and there’s no help from anyplace to my aid so is my father who’s taking care of everything,” Clement said.
“The opportunity I got to play abroad has been wasted and all the huge amount of money we paid for the trip have not be refundable,” he sorrowfully lamented.
Kortey Tetteh and Narkotey Frank thereafter thanked the team led by Omanba Kwadwo Boafo for the kind gesture and called for all and sundry to come to their aid in subsequent time to help make life more purposeful.
Background
On May 22, 2019, some angry youths in the municipality mounted road blocks and pelted the PDS staff with stones and sticks at Yohe, a community near Odumase Krobo when PDS staff went to the community to continue its mass disconnection exercise that was embarked in Somanya, Odumase Krobo and it’s environs.
The irate youth smashed a PDS Nissan Pick-Up vehicle and took the intervention of armed Police personnel to rescue the PDS staff.
The PDS staff hence decided to switch off the transformers cutting off power supply to many communities.
However, shortly after the attack, the angry youth mobilised to embark on a protest to petition the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), of Lower Manya Krobo but the armed Police rushed to protect the Municipal Assembly Office by preventing the youth from entering the premises which led to clashes between the youth and the Police leading to the death of a 14- year-old boy while seven persons including a final year Junior High Student (JHS) student were shot in the leg while returning from market.
A total of 27 persons were reportedly arrested during the riot.
Source: ritefmonline.org
