Wenchi assembly members accuse police of taking bush meat as bribes from farmers

The assembly members of Wenchi municipality in the Bono region have accused the police officers in the area of forcibly collecting bush meat from the farmers as a bribe on the roads.

At a council meeting held on Tuesday, an assembly member reported that on market days, some policemen harass farmers to part ways with their catch, including grass cutters and rats, before they are acquitted.

“Some are harassing our farmers, especially when it’s market days, today for instance. When you get to Woanse, those coming to market, have parked there as if that place is a station.

“On that highway, they have been stopping them, it has now turned to be a revenue generation point,” he stated.

The member indicated that the behaviour has negatively impacted revenue generation from marketplaces.

He further stated that this impulsive behaviour of the police “will deter them from coming to the market on Thursdays.”

Another questioned the group; “do you know that they go as long as even collecting rats and grass cutters?”

He pleaded with the Municipal Commander to allow them to express their concerns as electorate.

These issues were revealed at the assembly’s first meeting of the third session of the Wenchi municipal assembly.

On his part, the Municipal Police Commander, ASP Emmanuel Avudzivi, told the council that his men have been warned to desist from such behaviours.

As such, stringent policies will be implemented to curb such practices.

“If a vehicle going to the market is grounded for some number of hours, he loses his customers and farm products are perishable items, so there is the need to use soft gloss on them.

“It is not the best for somebody getting to the market to meet a customer, to be grounded for such a long time.”

He urged the assembly members not to give information to the lower-rank personnel but to the high-rank office to keep confidentiality.

SOURCE: Myjoyonline.com