The GaDangme Council has condemned the use of live ammunition by the Ghana Navy on some Tema youth during a procession for the Kpejoo Festival.

The incident, which took place on the evening of Friday, April 12, resulted in the death of two people.

According to the Ghana Armed Forces, a vehicle belonging to the Eastern Naval Command of the Ghana Navy was attacked by a crowd partaking in the festival at Tema Newtown at about 7:53 pm, leading to the damage of the vehicle.

The officers are said to have fired gunshots to disperse the crowd. In the course of the confrontation, three suspects were arrested by the naval personnel.

However, the mob, suspected to be part of the participants in the festivities, later attacked the Tema Naval Base with stones and other weapons to release their colleagues.

In the process, a vehicle belonging to the Navy was allegedly destroyed with two persons killed through gunshots fired.

But a statement signed by the President of the Council, Ayikoi Otoo, described the action of the military as a gross violation of human rights and an abuse of power.

“The military’s role is to complement the police to protect and defend the citizens, not to harm or kill them.

“The indiscriminate use of live ammunition in a crowded public space demonstrates a lack of restraint and disregard for the safety and well-being of the people,” the statement read in parts.

Citing an incident in 2023 where two fishermen lost their lives during customary Homowo fishing, the council bemoaned the use of excessive force by the military; stressing that it reflects a systemic issue of impunity and lack of accountability within the security forces.

“The culture of impunity enables such abuses of power to go unchecked and perpetuates a cycle of violence and injustice,” the statement added.

Find the full statement below:

The GaDangme Council has received the shocking news that the Ghana Navy allegedly used live ammunition to control crowd resulting in the tragic deaths of two youth during this year's Kplejoo Festival which is a long-standing tradition of the Ga-Dangme Community in Tema during which a lot of youthful energy is brought onto the streets.

The incident has ignited outrage and concern among the public particularly the people of the Tema Traditional Area.

It is the view of the GaDangme Council that the use of live ammunition by the military during a traditional festival is a gross violation of human rights and an abuse of power. The military's role is to complement the police to protect and defend the citizens, not to harm or kill them.

The indiscriminate use of live ammunition in a crowded public space demonstrates a lack of restraint and disregard for the safety and well-being of the people.

Furthermore, the use of excessive force by the military reflects a systemic issue of impunity and lack of accountability within the security forces. The culture of impunity enables such abuses of power to go unchecked and perpetuates a cycle of violence and injustice.

It would be recalled that in 2023 two fishermen lost their lives during a customary Homowo festival fishing duly sanctioned by the Tema Traditional Council. The Ghana Navy patrol speedboat allegedly crashed into the canoe without warning resulting in fatalities.

On that occasion the Tema Traditional Council expressed disappointment and called for better conduct from officers, emphasizing the need for thorough investigation and accountability but alas the impunity has repeated itself.

The GaDangme Council considers it essential to speak out against such flagrant violations of human rights and demand accountability from the authorities responsible for these actions.

Moreover, the tragic deaths of the two youth during the traditional festival highlight the urgent need for reforms in the military and security forces.

Proper training, oversight, and accountability mechanisms must be put in place to ensure that such incidents do not occur again in the future. The Navy must be held to a higher standard of conduct and must be held accountable for their actions.

Consequently, the GaDangme Council condemns in the strongest terms the use of live ammunition by the Navy during the traditional festival and calls for a thorough investigation into the incident.The GaDangme Council demands that those responsible for the deaths of the two youth be held accountable and brought to justice.

The GaDangme Council condemns the high-handedness of the Navy and calls for reforms within the security forces to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Justice must be served, and those responsible for the tragic deaths of the two youth must be held accountable.

Sgd
Hon J. Ayikoi Otoo
President
GaDangme Council