Damage to properties caused mainly by fire — Wa Municipal Fire Officer
The Wa Municipal office of the Ghana National Fire Service estimates that the cost in damages to property as a result of the recent clashes between two communities in Wa could be in the margin of GH¢118,500.
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According to the service, the huge cost has come about as a result of the destruction caused by fire that was set to properties during clashes between the people of Dondoli and Jejeriyiri over a piece of land. The case over the disputed land is currently before the Wa High Court.
Properties destroyed included a Hyundai mini bus and a motorbike which were burnt down, as well as a vulcaniser’s workshop and two provision shops which were vandalised in the process.
Other properties destroyed by the fire were a Nissan mini bus, an uncompleted building and the windscreen of a fire engine.
According to the Acting Wa Municipal Fire Officer, Mr James Ankrah, investigations conducted so far suggested that "the fires were set deliberately."
Property on fire
But for the intervention of the Fire Service, damage to property would have been higher as parties in the violent clashes went about setting properties on fire indiscriminately.
Mr Ankrah said upon receiving the first call from the public regarding a fire outbreak, a fire crew was immediately dispatched to the scene. Unfortunately, he said, the fire crew was attacked with stones by unknown persons.
"This action resulted in damage to the windscreen of the fire engine," he said.
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The military and police had to come in to quell the violence but not before seven persons had been seriously injured. One person was also injured by gunshots fired by the security forces.
The police arrested 21 persons in connection with the violence. According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Edmund Nyamekye of the Upper West Police Command, five of those arrested would be processed for court and charged for causing damage to property and disturbing public peace.
He added that police patrols within the communities have been scaled down even though intelligence work was still in force to forestall another spark of violence.