The Asokore Mampong Municipal Security Council and the Assembly have adopted stringent security measures to help minimize crime within the area in the wake of kidnappings cases recorded in the Ashanti Region.
The Council and the Assembly are thus calling for concerted efforts among residents within the municipality to fight crime that might derail the development of the area.
This move has become necessary following the arrest of some suspects in the recent abduction of two Canadian women in Kumasi.
The two Canadian women were rescued by a joint National Security and BNI taskforce at Achiase-Amoam, one of the developing areas within the Kwabre East Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
Some suspects were also picked up at Adukrom in the Asokore Mampong Municipality.
The development has triggered action by the Asokore Mampong Municipal Security Council and the Assembly as they have directed owners of uncompleted buildings to within a month have caretakers to man these facilities.
The Assembly has warned that it would be compelled to use its powers to prosecute owners of buildings who fail to comply with the directive.
The Assembly has also tasked developers and landowners within the municipality to ensure those sites are constantly cleared of weeds to prevent criminals from using their facilities as a haven to perpetrate crime.
Landlords within the area are also encouraged to form Associations to help check the activities of tenants who may be criminals.
The Assembly further urged owners of hotels, guesthouses and other key facilities within the area to be on a lookout and not to allow persons with questionable characters to frequent their places.
Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Asokore Mampong, Alhaji Alidu Seidu said although the decision might be difficult for owners of these buildings, it also prioritizes the security of the residents in the area and will do all it can to protect lives and properties
“The Assembly is of the view that, these bad nuts capitalize on the availability of those places and those uncompleted buildings to do their own things,” he indicated
He said the Works Department of the Assembly has been tasked to embark on a data collection of all uncompleted buildings to enable the Assembly trace their owners so as to find solutions to the security issues within the municipality.
‘Seidu N.B.A never my bodyguard’
The MCE denied allegations that one of the suspects arrested in connection with the abduction of the two Canadian females was his bodyguard.
He called on members of the public to dispel the entire allegation and treat it as falsehood and the malice it deserves.
“Seidu N.B.A has never been and will never be my bodyguard. It is absolutely false. It is not true”, he emphasized
He maintained that he has a single bodyguard who is a recognized officer by the Ghana Police Service and no other person can be said to be working for him in that position.
He advised the National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi and the Ashanti Regional Security of that party, Kwame Zu to always cross check their information before putting it out to misinform and mislead the public.
He also denied reports that the said suspect is a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Asawase Constituency.
