Madam Mercy Adams, a fish seller who said 1,000 cartons of fish were seized from her by soldiers in 1982 shortly after the coup on Tuesday appealed to the NRC to compensate her to re-establish her shop.
She said the fish was sold at the “controlled price” and the soldiers took proceeds away. This she said had collapsed her trade and brought hardships to herself, her husband and eight children.
Madam Adams, a resident of Swedru, said one Asante also in the neighbourhood was shot and killed by a soldier who he had asked to accompany him to send his five bags of cement to a block factory.
She said another woman, Adwoa Buakwa, who was sending half piece of cloth to a relative that had given birth was also shot by the soldiers that same day because they said she was dealing in cloth.
Madam Adams said it was sad these crimes had tarnished the history of the country and pleaded with the Commission to ensure that these things never happened again.
She said shortly after the coup in 1982, about four soldiers came into her shop claiming that she was hoarding fish. After interrogation, they seized 1,000 cartons of fish, one carton of which she sold at seven cedis.
Madam Adams said according to the soldiers, they were going to sell the fish at the price approved by the State Fishing Corporation. However, she could not get in touch with them to find out how much they sold it.
She said luckily for her when she was ordered to report at the Swedru Bungalow, where they normally caned the people on a big table, the soldiers did not beat her but asked her to return to her shop and wait for them. Madam Adams said they never came back, adding that she did not make any formal report to anybody due to fear.
Source: GhanaWeb
