The Assemblyman for the Zorko-Gamboringo Electoral Area, Abiire Awineyesema, has expressed concern over the rising cases of armed robbery and motorbike theft in his community and other surrounding communities, following a fatal incident in which a man was killed during a robbery.
Speaking in an interview with A1 Radio, Awineyesema described the incident as part of a troubling pattern. “This has been happening. I think it is either the fifth or the sixth incident, not just in the electoral area, but across the particular lane where this unfortunate situation happened,” he said.
He recounted the handling of the victim’s body, noting that while local residents did what they could to assist, the police arrived late and took the body for investigation before it was retrieved and buried by the community. “Even though the arrival was not so timely, at the community level too, we did what we could, but the police suddenly came for the body to do whatever they could do with the medics. Then we retrieved the body back and buried it,” Mr. Awineyesema said.
The Assemblyman stressed that repeated appeals to the district assembly and the police for more effective security measures have gone largely unanswered. “As an electoral area and local area council, we had to write officially to the district assembly as well as the police command to see whether they could bring us some relief to scare the robbers away. We have not yet received those particular answers,” he said.
Mr. Awineyesema highlighted the limitations of current police patrols in the area, saying officers are present only to create visibility and lack the capacity to make arrests. “Those that are at our place are just to create visibility. Those in Zorko are just to create visibility and nothing more. They cannot even affect arrest,” he said, adding that the lack of police presence leaves the community vulnerable.
He called for the establishment of a police station in Zorko to ensure adequate personnel and improve safety for residents and commuters. “So, some of these things, it appears Zorko is helpless. The area may need a police station to put the necessary personnel there, the better for life and all those who commute through Zorko,” Mr. Awineyesema said.
The fatal motorbike theft has reignited community calls for urgent action to address the surge in violent crime in the area.
Source: A1 Radio|101.1 MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Bolgatanga
