WANEP-Ghana has expressed worry that the increasing incidents of target killing in the country could degenerate if not stopped abruptly.

At its quarterly National Human Security Early warning brief in Tamale, WANEP said high profile individuals may fall victims if the necessary actions are not taken.

The brief said the phenomenon may also raise the anxiety of politicians, professionals, social and community leaders, especially as the country approaches the 2016 election.

The WANEP report also identified armed attack, accidents and labour unrest as the top most security threats the country recorded in the first quarter.

The report showed the country recorded 27 armed attacks some of which were homicides and possible suicides.

The report added that overall, 17 incidents of Homicide related cases were recorded with two suspects arrested. The murders include those at Sagnarigu, Aboabo, Savelugu, all in the Northern Region; Manet Gardens and Joma, near Ablekuma, Tema Community Four all in the Greater Accra.

Mr. Issac Bayor National Network Coordinator for WANEP-Ghana who presented highlights of the report said the report related the current increasing crimes to the economic hardship the country is currently facing.

“Even though Ghana has recorded impressive economic growth the question on the lips of many citizens is when the economic gains would translate to improved living standard of the people especially as rising level of frustration owing to economic hardship, unemployment, and cost of living endures”. 

He said the report captured 22 various forms of accidents which included motor vehicles, fire, illegal mining and the collapse of buildings.

The report named the Ashanti, Greater Accra, Western, Eastern and Central regions as places with the prevalent rate. 

Overall, 23 people died from motor accident while 56 more people were injured.

Mr. Issac Bayor said related to the target killings is the issuance of death threats to some individuals through electronic messages.

These include the threat to the Manager of the Electricity Company of Ghana at Kasoa and to the chief of Pakyi No. 1 near Obuasi in the Ashanti region.

He said Twenty-four percent of the three highlighted categories were threats that have the potential to occur in the form of murders or relapse to factional conflicts and possible violence.