INFORMATION REACHING DAILY GUIDE indicates that workers at Banda Ahenkro comprising teachers, nurses, and agric extension officers among others have fled the district following an anonymous notice warning all non-indigenes to leave the district for their safety.
As a result, schools in the district and the only health centre in the district remained closed for the past three days. A teacher who spoke to DAILY GUIDE on phone on condition of anonymity said due to the situation, the Director General of Ghana Education Service had issued a communiqué asking all teachers in the district to leave with immediate effect and report themselves to the regional director of education at Sunyani for further directives. The District Director of Health had also directed all health workers to leave the district.
A notice purportedly written by some faceless indigenes of the Banda Ahenkro entitled ‘Concerned Members of Banda Ahenkro, To Whom It May Concern; and circulated to all departments warning workers to leave was sighted by DAILY GUIDE.
It reads: This letter is to inform your good office that upon a united decision taken by the whole Banda Ahenkro Community, we cannot guarantee the safety of strangers in this district because
- They are interfering in our MP’s election
- They are fighting against our supremacy over Banda lands
- They have claimed all job opportunities in the district
We hope with immediate effect you will act or
- What is happening in South Africa will repeat itself here or
- What happened in Faith School in 2016 will be repeated here.
The notice which was pasted on school buildings and other government buildings was said to be causing panic and fear in the district. The Banda Ahenkro District police commander, ASP Asamoah Agyekum confirmed the incident on phone to DAILY GUIDE but could not give details asking the paper to talk to the Divisional Commander of Wenchi.
The regional crime officer, Superintendent Ruben Asiwoko did not pick the calls when the paper tried to reach him whilst the regional acting PRO was not aware of the mishap. All efforts to get the Wenchi Divisional Commander failed. Meanwhile schools and hospitals had remained closed, according to our sources.
Our sources claimed the workers said they would only return if the government could guarantee their safety.
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Banda Ahenkro