Dr. Jones Opoku-Ware, a lecturer and criminologist, believes that the unfortunate clash between the military and suspected illegal miners at the Obuasi mine is a result of how some politicians incite their supporters to provoke men in uniform, particularly the military, following each election.
He has warned that if we do not address the situation, we will continue to see lawlessness committed by these thugs who are influenced by some politicians.
The lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) was reacting to the deaths of seven of the over 60 illegal miners who invaded the AngloGold Ashanti mines.
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) claim that these illegal miners, wielding pump action guns and other offensive weapons, fired first, prompting them to return fire.
Dr. Opoku-Ware, in a Facebook post, said it is not proper for political thugs to invade private and corporate businesses and organisations with the claim of taking over because their party had won the elections.
He said until people learn sense, we will continue to witness the death of people.
He wrote “’There has been attempts before, during and after the elections by some political elements to instigate their so called “political goons and vigilantes” to provoke officers in uniform, especially the military to violent confrontations.. That act of some politicians in the run-up to the elections and afterwards is what is having a spill over effect leadings to what has happened in Obuasi.. this lawless instigations of your political thugs to violence by hounding lawfully set up private and corporate businesses and organizations and besieging their premises following such instigation and alleged takeover of businesses and organizations flowing from some promises made to those thugs, im afraid will continue to result in the loss of lives until people begin to learn sense in this country and the instigators fished out and dealt with…..’’
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana