Former President John Dramani Mahama is calling on government to provide compensation to all persons affected by last Tuesday’s action by the military in Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region.
He described the current situation as potentially inflammatory and prayed for peace and harmony.
“I pray we find peace and harmony in our dear country, as the government and state institutions immediately step in to address this potentially inflammatory development between Ashaiman and the Ghana Armed Forces; including providing commensurate compensation for all persons affected.”
He wrote this on his official Facebook on Wednesday, March 8 following an operation by the military in Ashaiman last Tuesday.
The operation left some civilians injured while 184 were arrested. About 150 have since been released.
The coordinated sanctioned operation was to fish out persons behind the gruesome murder of a military officer on Saturday, March 4.
Mr Mahama expressed deep sadness over the death of the army officer.
“Lordina and I extend our deepest condolences to his bereaved and grieving family, and the officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces.”
But he urged the military to exercise restraint and allow due processes to take course.
“As your former Commander in Chief, I do appreciate how such unexpected deaths affect the Force.
“However, I encourage you to exercise restraint and allow due process to investigate, apprehend, prosecute and punish the perpetrator(s) of the dastardly act.
“There are obviously many people who live and work in Ashaiman who are innocent of this heinous crime. The military must, therefore, refrain from meting out extra-judicial justice to them.
“I also sympathise with the victims of the torture in Ashaiman as a result of this unfolding death of a serving soldier.”