Teshie: Conflict Arises Between Police and Military Personnel Involved in Landguard Activities
Personnel from the Greater Accra Regional Police Command engaged in a heated altercation with soldiers from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Army over a contested piece of land in Teshie, resulting in a near-violent clash.
The soldiers reportedly engaged in landguard activities in defiance of a police order prohibiting any form of trespassing. The incident occurred during a police operation by the Greater Accra Regional Police Command to stop construction activities on the contested land situated behind the LEKMA Hospital.
The Regional police command had issued a directive that neither party was allowed to enter the land until the court established the rightful owner. Upon arrival, law enforcement officials were unexpectedly confronted by armed forces who were allegedly protecting the site on behalf of one of the conflicting parties, disregarding police orders.
Sources suggest that the tense situation could have turned violent if not for the calm and competent handling by the police, who were carrying out their duties.
Despite numerous requests from high-ranking police officers, the soldiers, under the leadership of WOI Paitu, declined to vacate the site where they had been illegally stationed for more than a week. At a certain moment, military personnel under the command of WOI Paitu issued a threat to use firearms against any police officer who intervened in the construction activities.
The confrontation between the police and soldiers, lasting for an hour, garnered interest from nearby residents and developers. Numerous individuals voiced their displeasure at the perceived lack of professionalism by the soldiers, alleging incidents of harassment and intimidation in the vicinity. Some members of the community condemned the military’s leadership for permitting their personnel to partake in unlawful landguard activities in Ghana. Concurrently, the Greater Accra Regional Police Command has initiated inquiries into the situation. The commander has issued a warning to address any individual involved in Monday’s incident.
