Two persons have been injured in violent protests over the arrest of the ringleader in last week’s demonstration in the Eastern regional town of Somanya.
Joy News’ Kofi Siaw reports that there is a lot of tension in the town as the residents demand the release of the Assemblyman who is said to have instigated the demonstration.
The unplanned demonstration last Friday was to protest ‘outrageously’ high utility bills charged residents by the Electricity Company of Ghana.
The Assemblyman, Jones Tetteh was arrested after the Eastern Regional office of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) came under attack from some residents who were dissatisfied with what they described as ‘outrageous’ utility bills.
He is said to have orchestrated the protest following his increasing inability to pay utility bills for his block factory.
The residents, wielding sticks and stones damaged the office of the company in protest after they waited for hours to get a response from ECG officials without success. They left behind broken glasses and dirty ECG walls.
He was subsequently picked up by the police, although the Member of Parliament for the area Magnus Kofi Amoatey cautioned against any arrest.
The MP expressed fears any arrest could lead to an escalation of the already volatile situation.
He would feel vindicated as the arrest appears to have triggered fresh violence.
The protesters have set fire into a police vehicle.
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