A section of the youth in Cape Coast and the police have clashed over the use of a spot behind the District Police Barracks as a refuse dump. While the police insist that the action of the residents has created insanitary conditions at the barracks, which pose a health hazard to the police personnel at the barracks, the people think otherwise. According to the people, they only dump 'symbolic' filth at a shrine behind the barracks as part of purification rites to mark the Fetu Afahye of the Chiefs and people of the Oguaa Traditional Area. Last Wednesday, a nasty scene was created when the police prevented a group of youth who took part in the purification ritual from dumping the filth at the shrine. The angry youth, who could not understand the action of the police, poured the filth they were carrying on the road between the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit and the District Police Barracks in protest of the police action. The few policemen around, who were overwhelmed by the action of the youth, called for reinforcement before they could disperse the mob. At the scene of the clash, the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mrs Rose Bio Atenga, condemned the attitude of the youth and residents who had turned the spot behind the barracks into a refuse dump. Mrs Atenga said their attitude had created insanitary conditions, which threaten the lives of residents at the barracks. She said apart from the heavy stench and odour which emanated from the dump, pig sties had also been built around the area to compound the problem of the already high health risk. Supporting her claim, she quoted a report by the Pilot newspaper, which described the barracks as one of the filthiest places in West Africa as a result of the refuse dump. She said in order to avert any possible outbreak of epidemic, the police organised a clean-up about a week ago to clear the filth and has subsequently sealed off the area to prevent further dumping of refuse at the spot. She said the Municipal Chief Executive had written to her to complain about the situation and that she had also requested for refuse containers from the Police Headquarters to serve the residents of the barracks. She called on the residents to see the police as human beings and treat them with respect. She said only one person was arrested during the clash and warned that anyone found dumping refuse at the spot would be dealt with accordingly. The Oguaamahen, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, who visited the scene later, however told the press that there was a shrine behind the barracks and that as part of the annual ritual for 'the Fetu festival, whenever they cleared the filth, as custom demanded, they dumped it at the shrine.” He said since the group were mostly youth, they might have resisted the police action due to the perception that they were being prevented from undertaking a traditional and customary practice as part of their time-tested festival." He described the clash as unfortunate and arranged for the filth to be cleared from the road immediately. Source: Daily Graphic