A Deputy Minister of Information and Media Relations, Hon. Murtala Mohammed has confirmed that about six (6) alleged arsonists arrested by the National Security were planning to again execute their mission by setting another market (name withheld) ablaze.
According to him, the six with names withheld were all halted on different locations by the security personnel and preparations are underway for them to appear in court.
“I can’t give the specific number, but I think there are more than six people arrested. In fact, they were arrested on different locations. There was even an attempt and some were planning to burn another market. I will not be able to give out the said market name, but the investigation is ongoing.
“…People have been arrested, and we have the names. They (National Security) are still screening those (Arsonists), and after, we will make the names available. I have the names and details on where and how they were picked,” he said.
It would be recalled that, President John Dramani Mahama, a couple of weeks ago, on his visit to Makola No.2 to ascertain the cause of the fire outbreak, composed an investigative team to find out the causes of fire outbreaks in some major markets in the country.
He also engaged some American experts in fire investigations to beef up the efforts of the Ghanaian investigators to unravel the real causes of those fire outbreaks since he suspects arson.
It was reported that the National Security solely made the arrest of the arsonists, but in an interview with Asempa FM, the deputy Information Minister said: “it is a collaborative effort of the American experts and the National Security. Before the Americans came, I indicated in one of our press briefing that some investigation was commenced as the president [had] directed”.
He further added that, “…the purpose for making this information known to the Ghanaian people is part of our transparent governance that the people who have decided to chatter the part of democracy that, at any point in time, people need to know.
“…If you have markets burning in a fashion so coordinated and unabated, then when those things happened people are interested in finding out what investigation has been done and the successes chopped. When you have such information, it is incumbent on you to let the people of this country know that this is what we have done”.
