The Public Relations Officer of the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), Mr. Isaac Bafiina has impugned the media fraternity in the Upper West Region for not bringing to public notice, the efforts taken by the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) in fighting the menace of fertilizer larceny which left the region with an unfortunate tag ‘the smuggling capital of Ghana’.
“Is sad and unfortunate how the upper west region is making headlines this week for the wrong reasons, to the extent of being described as the capital for fertilizer smuggling.
I only hope the efforts put by the regional minister and REGSEC to stop and make smuggling unattractive had gained such widespread publicity in order that, we could have collectively fought the activities of these nation wreckers. Unfortunately, most of these loud voices were missing but only waiting for lapses to feast on” he noted.
The PRO further noted some trucks loaded with fertilizer were impounded by REGSEC recently in the region as an effort to ensure that their destinations and the supposed distributors were established before they were finally discharged. He stressed that, the vehicles were monitored till they reached their designated points to off load, adding that, those were some attempts taken by the Upper West REGSEC in ensuring that smuggling of fertilizer do not get grounds in the region.
“These tracks and many others were detained by REGSEC as a combined effort to ensure their points of destinations and supposed distributors were ascertained and established before they were discharged. Besides, the tracks were also monitored till they reached their designated points to off load. Those were strict measures to ensure smuggling was practically impossible or unattractive” Mr. Isaac added.
However, farmers and some distributors also had their share of the blame as the PRO did not hesitate to indicate that, the measures taken by REGSEC were faced with strong opposition from farmers and distributors describing the said measures, as stern and excruciating to them. He was quick to add that, the measures were necessary with the sensitive nature of the situation assenting that, difficult situations requires drastic remedies.
“Measures such as these were considered to be stern and excruciating to farmers and distributors, but were necessary per the situation, because difficult situations require harsh measures. The step was to ensure the region was not cited again in relations to smuggling” the PRO indicated.
Mr. Bafiina could not hide his emotions and took to social media ( his Facebook Page) to make these revelations yesterday after the minister in charge of Food and Agriculture left the Upper West Region on Sunday, August 26, 2018 with this unfortunate name dubbed ‘the smuggling capital of Ghana’ during his interaction with Agric officials and farmers in the region.
Meanwhile, one would not be far from being right to quiz to know, the efforts also put in place to make sure these measures taken by the REGSEC were known to the media by the PR unit of the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council as most REGSEC decisions are not opened to the public domain in the region.
