The Tema Traditional Council (TTC) has voiced its discontent with the press statement issued by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) regarding the recent incident during the final Kplejoo festival procession. Nii Armah Soumponu II, representing the TTC, expressed the community's dismay at a press conference, deeming the public information provided by the GAF as palpably false.
Nii Soumponu emphasized the longstanding tradition of the Kplejoo celebration in the community, stating that the festival had been observed for many decades without any incidents. He highlighted efforts made by the council to coordinate with security agencies, including the Police, to ensure a peaceful celebration.
However, he refuted the GAF's claim that a military vehicle was vandalized during the procession, stating that there was no evidence to support this assertion. He suggested that the presence of military personnel and their attempts to drive through the crowd naturally provoked a reaction from the people.
Despite facing challenges such as the loss of land for industrial development, Nii Soumponu reaffirmed the community's commitment to preserving its cultural heritage and continuing the celebration of its festivals. He questioned the need for the use of live bullets by security forces during the festival and criticized the lack of communication from the GAF following the incident.
Meanwhile, community leaders emphasized that they would not resort to violence and were awaiting the outcome of police investigations. They expressed their reliance on traditional means of conflict resolution and called for dialogue to address the situation.
