The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Reverend John Ntim Fordjour, has called for the Minister for the Interior and the Acting Minister for Defence to be summoned before Parliament over recent violent disturbances in Gbinyiri and Sampa.
The conflict in Gbinyiri, which stems from a long-standing land dispute, has forced over 13,000 Ghanaians to flee into neighbouring Ivory Coast, while in Sampa, violent clashes left a police officer and seven others injured.
Raising the issue on the floor of Parliament on Friday, October 24, Reverend Ntim Fordjour said it would be highly irresponsible for the House to remain indifferent to such crises that have displaced thousands and endangered lives.
“The conflict that took place in Gbinyiri resulted in an estimated 10,000 refugees to Burkina Faso and another estimated 13,000 refugees to the Ivory Coast, and 48,000 displaced residents within the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba districts and the Bole-Bamboi districts. Also, another very worrying development in Sampa, which resulted in the killings of very dear residents within that area. It is important that, as a matter of urgency, within next week, the Minister for Interior and the Minister now responsible for Defence must appear before this house to give us updates,” he said.
He stressed, “Lives are more important, security is more important than everything else that we demand accountability on, and it will be highly irresponsible on our part as a House if we do not demonstrate that interest in these killings that took place and even so concerned as to the state of our compatriots who have become refugees in other places.”
