The father of a teenager who was allegedly struck by a stray bullet fired by police at Dalun in the Kumbungu district on Christmas day, has complained bitterly to Zaa News about the expenses he has incurred to date in treating his son:
“I have sold almost all my farm produce to treat my son,” lamented Mr. Abdul Rahman, father of 12-year old Mr. Abdul Rahman Abdul Ganiu, a form three student of a local junior high school.
The frustrated father said he has so far spent over one thousand five hundred (GH₵1,500) and has to resort to borrowing from friends and families to ensure that his son gets back to his normal fitness without suffering any deformity.
Mr. Ganiu, according to the father, was on his way home from school when he was hit by the stray bullet at Dalun town center during the police attempt to effect the arrest of the assemblyman of Dalun electoral area, Mr. Abukari Mohammed.
Mr. Rahman told Zaa news he is just a peasant farmer and has since sold almost all his foodstuffs reserved for his family to take care of his son who will be taking his Basic Certification Examination in April 2017.
Mr. Ganiu who sustained injuries to his ankle was rushed to the Kings Medical Centre at Bontanga in the Kumbungu district and was later transferred to the Tamale West Hospital where he is still on admission.
His family since then has been left to hold the bag, footing the hospital bills for almost two weeks now. The only financial support to the family since the incident, Mr. Rahman said came from the outgoing member of parliament for Kumbungu, Mr. Amadu Moses Yahaya who gave hundred cedis and one Mr. Baba who also gave hundred cedis.
As for the police, Mr. Rahman said, they only visited his son at the hospital once, took his cell phone number and promised calling but never did. He also disclosed to Zaa news that his elder brother rejected an undisclosed amount of money concealed in an envelope from the District Chief Executive for the area. He explained that the nature of the incident and the way and manner the DCE delegation was selected was disrespectful, hence the family’s rejection.
Background
The youth in the Dalun electoral area on December 25th, 2016 took over the collection of roads tolls from Tipper Trucks collecting sand from the tributaries of the Black Volta.
The youth accused the assembly of denying the Dalun area council of its 50% share of the revenue accrued from the sand winning activities in the area. Their reason was that, they are not seeing evidence of development from the revenue the assembly collects.
Police intervention:
The police in the district got wing of the youth action but thought it could resolve in a diplomatic manner. Unfortunately, it degenerated into serious matter leading to the police action. The police was first briefed by the youth on the chronology of events leading to their action but the police called for calm to prevail.
Arrest
Three persons were arrested on December 25 by the police in connection with the incident and were later released upon intervention by the chief of Dalun and the member of parliament for Kumbungu. The assembly man for the area who the people revere later on escaped with handcuffs still strapped to his wrists when the police turned their guns on him.
Residents say the incident has scared them. To date, police authorities have not issued any official comment.