Togbe Kotoku XI displaying some of the empty shells
The chiefs and people of Kpenoe Traditional Area under the Asogli State in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region have called for the relocation of a shooting range of the 66 Artillery Regiment.
The residents claim stray bullets enter their houses from the shooting range and that is putting fear into them.
According to the Paramount Chief of the area, Togbe Kotoku XI, the manner in which the military officers conduct their shooting activities on their land continuously put their lives at risk.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the chief called on the relevant authorities to meet their demands to avert any unfortunate happenings in future.
“Bullets fly into the community without any information and this is relatively unsafe for us and we feel our lives are in danger.”
He told the media that “these very bullets were picked from the community. This is not a bullet of single barrel but a bullet coming from the military range. Our lives are not safe and for that matter, we’re requesting that the shooting range be relocated.”
Togbe Kotoku also complained about the encroachment of the lands of the community by the military.
According to him, the military has extended the boundaries of a 483.34-acre land given to government some 50 years ago to about 1,000 acres.
According to the chiefs, the land, which was previously used to cultivate cocoa, coffee and other cash crops, was taken over by government without any proper compensation.
He added that the military had erected boundary poles to cover over 1,000 acres without further discussions with the chiefs and people of the area.
“This has deprived my people, especially the youth, of farmland which has forced them to go in there to crack stones to earn a living.”
The military is yet to respond to the accusations of the chief.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com