Properties vandalised at Nkrumah Interchange following misunderstanding between traders, task force
Two persons were injured in a confrontation between traders and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) task force at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange in Accra last Saturday.
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The two, who are receiving treatment at the 37 Military Hospital, are one Akwesi Appiah, a pedestrian, and a member of AMA security task force, Kumado Blaise (WO Retd).
A security and fire service outposts at the interchange were also vandalised in the course of the face-off.
Incident
The clash was said to have occurred after members of the AMA Task Force, in charge of an ongoing decongestion exercise at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, allegedly assaulted one of the traders for walking on the lawns in the area.
Identified as Akwesi Appiah, the middle-aged man is claimed to have been hit with a stick, while some members of the task force kicked him in the abdomen.
The victim is said to have fallen unconscious and was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital.
When news later got to the traders at the interchange that the victim had allegedly died out of his injuries, the people became incensed and demanded for an explanation from members of the task force.
A misunderstanding ensued between the two groups leading to the vandalisation of a portion of the AMA office at Kwame Nkrumah Interchange.
Eye witness
According to an eyewitness, Madam Ernestina Kumi, the victim was not a trader but a pedestrian who was passing through the lawns.
She said the task force, instead of asking the victim to use the approved route, rather pounced on him and started beating him.
Madam Kumi described the attack on Appiah as severe which left him unconscious.
She claimed the task force subsequently abandoned the victim, who was rushed to hospital by some of the traders.
Police brief
Confirming the incident, the Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Osabariman Oware Pinkrong, said his outfit received reports on the incident at around 4:30 p.m. after which personnel were deployed to the scene.
He, however, said upon their arrival they realised that the security and fire service outposts had already been vandalised.
According to him, what led to the clash was the news that Appiah had died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
“It was later discovered that the victim was not dead but was rather receiving treatment at the 37 Military Hospital,” Mr Pinkrong indicated.
Asked about damages, he said the confrontation led to the destruction of glass windows of the AMA office.
Mr Pinkrong said a member of the task force, identified as Mr Kumado Blaise (WO Retd), was also injured in the disturbances and taken to 37 Military Hospital.
He said the police had since visited the victims at the hospital. Some personnel have also been stationed at the Interchange to ensure calm.
Background
The AMA is embarking on a decongestion exercise at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange and other areas in Accra as part of the measures to make Accra the cleanest city in Africa.
The exercise, which began this month, has led to the destruction of the wares of some traders.
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