N/R: I’ll Sue – Burnt Truck Owner

Mr Ibrahim Kesse, owner of one of the 14 tipper trucks that were torched in the Northern Region, has questioned why his vehicle and others should be burnt when they were operating in an area prescribed by Regional Minister Salifu Saeed.

Soldiers on Saturday, 3 March 2018 set ablaze the 14 trucks and an excavator in the Kumbungu District of the Northern Region as part of efforts to protect the Dalun River which feeds into the White Volta, from sand winners.

The destruction of the heavy-duty vehicles followed several warnings by National Security officials to the sand winners to stop their destructive activity.

The Dalun River is a critical source of water for the people of the Northern Region.

The Ghana Water Company Limited has, on several occasions, complained about how the illegal sand winning operation affects their production.

Reacting to the incident, Mr Kesse told Moro Awudu on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Monday, 5 March 2018 that they were operating at a spot allocated to them by the Regional Minister.

He said: “Last year, I have the Northern Regional Minister on record, he went to the site where they were initially winning the sand. [They were winning the sand] from the upper stream of the river which the Water Company Limited complained that winning the sand from the upper stream cost them more to treat the water for the people at Tamale. Then the minister told them [sand winners] they should move from the upper stream to the lower stream of the river. Anybody who knows where the unfortunate incident happened knows that that area is the lowest stream of the river, so, that is why some of us don’t get it. So, if you say we should move from the upper to the lower and this barbaric act still happens at this point, then what are you telling us”?

Mr Kesse said he will seek redress in court.

Reacting to this, Mr Saeed said the operation was conducted by Operation Vanguard, and, so, he, as the head of RECSEC, was not part of the exercise.

Meanwhile, Kumbungu MP Ras Mubarak, has condemned the manner in which the soldiers handled the situation.

He posted on Facebook that: “A contingent of soldiers went on a rampage in my constituency this afternoon, burning down several tipper trucks and an excavator in the name of protecting the White Volta. When people are suspected of breaking the law, you arrest and take them through due process. You do not take the laws into your hands because u are in uniform and burn down everything in sight. Be rest assured we will push for punishment and compensation.”

Source: ClassFMonline