Dome Faase residents hesitant to return home despite reduced military presence

Some residents of Dome Faase in the Obom Domeabra Constituency within the Greater Accra Region say they will only return to the community if the military personnel deployed there are withdrawn.

Hundreds of residents fled between Tuesday and Wednesday after a number of military personnel were deployed to the town.

Military personnel were deployed to the town following a clash over disputed land that left a number of residents, including two soldiers, injured.

A coalition of Ga communities, which consist of over 20 communities that share a border with the Eastern Region, claimed that the Mponuahene of Akyem Apadwa and the Akyem Traditional Council are taking their farmlands. The tensions led to clashes on Tuesday.

Speaking to Citi News, a teacher in the community said he will only return when all the soldiers are recalled despite the fact that calm had reportedly returned to the area.

“We have heard that the soldiers were at the Obom side. The place was calm. Only one or two military personnel were at that place monitoring things.”

The teacher is currently planning to return after some seven days.

“I wanted to go back this weekend, but my parents are refusing, and I am a teacher. So I wouldn’t dare do that… Maybe next week [I will return] but certainly not this week.”

The Omankrado for the Obom Domeabra community, Nii Addo, who also left the community on Tuesday says he is likely to return to the later on Thursday to help calm tensions.

“I left before soldiers came there so as an elder of the community, I had to be safe, so I could help people out, so we can solve this matter. That is why I am not in the community now,” he said.

Nii Addo also maintains that his community is on the right side of the disputed land.

“The land belongs to us. It has been our property for 200 years so it belongs to us. They [the Akyem] are claiming it but it is for us.”

Citinewsroom.com