Fraud Expert and Security Analyst, Richard Kumadoe says the government must compensate 16-year old, Awal Misbawu, whose right leg got amputated as a result of the riot in Ejura, with monthly allowance of GHS10,000 in and also be given a house.
He also recommended that the cost of Awal’s education should also be catered for up to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) level in order to sustain his future due to his current ordeal.
“I would have gone for the small boy if I was on the committee especially when it has been confirmed that he did not know what was happening. He was just going to buy medicine from a drug store and the incident occurred.
“I would have recommended that government give him a house, 10,000 cedis remuneration every month, and sponsor his education to the PhD level so that he will not be disadvantaged” he said while speaking to Berla Mundi on TV3 New Day, on Thursday September 30.
He further indicated that persons with disability face obstacles as a result of inequality and hence, there is the need for Awal to enjoy privileges from government as a result of the effect of the disturbance on his life.
After a three member ministerial committee was set up to probe the disturbances and unravel the circumstances that led to the shooting and killings in the town on June 29 this year, the final report recommended that families and victims should be compensated.
Compensations, were however, not specified.
Mr Kumadoe said the recommendations in the report were not to be left out to the discretion of other persons, adding that, there should have been further clarifications to avoid misapprehension.
“When making a recommendation, you should not leave it to the discretion of some other persons who might not have the same feeling and the knowledge you have for writing.
“Language was a problem in the report .The committee members also recommended that victims and families should be compensated but did not state how much they should be given. And what level of compensation are we talking about?” He indicated.
Mr Kumadoe further suggested that families of victims of the riot who have raised questions on the published report should have another opportunity to seek independence legal advice to address discrepancies and inconsistencies.
He stated that the removal of the Municipal Chief Executive of Ejura due to his failure to handle the municipality in relation to handling and dissemination of general information in intelligent information, as mentioned by the report, should inform government to be mindful of people selected to man the affairs of Municipalities.
Executive Director at the West African Centre for Counter-extremism, Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar said the committee was set up to relay the accounts of witnesses to the public and not to conclude that the probable cause of Kaaka’s death (also a victim of the riot) emanated from a family feud and not as a result of his activism.
He reiterated that installation of body cameras should be an inherent part of the operations of security personnel in the country to help in evidence gathering and enhance police transparency and accountability.
Mr Muqthar said “this short period of work would not be enough to determine forensic evidence and proper investigations in terms of who must have been responsible for the death of Kaaka.
“Investigations relayed to such issues need extensive witness account. That conclusion is inappropriate”, he said.
By Benedicta Naa Lamiorkor Lawson| 3news.com|Ghana
