There was near fisticuffs between the Ashanti Regional National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) Coordinator and the Chief of Nahinso over the filling of wetland and attempted destruction of a pylon in the community.
Whilst the Chief insists his motive is to curb the effects of perennial flooding and improve some road networks in the area, the officials think otherwise and have therefore caused the arrest of Nana Addo Boamang after sending an earlier warning to him.
With the onset of the rains, the road network in Nahinso has been moving from bad to worst.
The 4.5 kilometre stretch, according to the Asokwa Municipal Assembly has been awarded on contract, but the Chief of the area claims he has taken an initiative to reshape the road following delays by the contractor to come to site.
Nana Addo Boamang complained about an attempt by the Assembly to thwart his effort to work on the road.
“I started filling the road last two weeks, but they reported me to the Asokwa police that I’m embarking on a project that flouts the bye laws of the Assembly. What is wrong if I’m trying to bring relief to my people when the Assembly is not ready to fix our road for us?” Nana Addo Boamang questioned.
But the Asokwa Municipal Assembly refuted the claim of preventing the Chief from upgrading the road.
“The Chief is engaged in winning of sand under the pylons to fill a wetland, but not to repair any road. The pylons are now exposed to imminent danger due to the Chief’s unauthorized activities. So, it is not true that we stopped him because he was upgrading the road, but his illegal activities”, Municipal Chief Executive for Asokwa, Akwannuasah Gyimah explained.
Officials of the National Disaster Management Organization, Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana Grid Company, and the Assembly revisited the Nahinso community on Thursday morning, July 18.
But that visit turned into a heated exchange of words between the Chief and Frank Duodu, the Regional NADMO Coordinator.
Nana Addo Boamang called the bluff of the team who threatened to arrest him for filling wetland area and exposing the pylons to risk of falling.
The Chief quizzed the NADMO officials “have you ever bothered to come here whenever there is a downpour and this area floods? All I’m doing is to help prevent flooding”.
The Regional NADMO Coordinator, Frank Duodu however caused the arrest of the Chief and handed him over to Asokwa Divisional Police Command.
“He is digging laterite from a pylon to fill this wetland. This time, we are picking him, and we will make sure that the right thing is done. He must adhere to all necessary laws he has to follow”, Regional NADMO Coordinator, Frank Duodu.
Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Agency has mounted a nature reserve signage to prevent the Chief and other individuals from filling the area.
By Ibrahim Abubakar
