The chiefs and people of Assorko in the Shama District are addressing publications made by the media about the recent quarry explosion that occurred on Saturday, September 9, 2023, claiming six (6) lives and injuring many that happened at Anto-Abosso.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, September 22, the Odikro of Assorko, Nana Brekrom II, said leaders of the Assorko community, having followed closely the media reportage after the incident, it has become imperative for them to correct the misinformation making rounds in the media space.
According to him, the location of the explosion is Assorkor, and not Anto-Aboso and in the case of any benefits must be directed to the Assorko community since the explosion heavily impacted them.
They believe that as owners and lessors of the land on which the explosion occurred, they should inevitably be part of or represented on the committee.
In a statement, Nana Bekrom II addressed the fact that a 9-member committee has been set up to investigate the explosion without including the leadership Assorko, “Our question to the authorities who set up the committee and the members of the committee is, do they have the intent of contacting us for information as part of their work? And what is their justification that we would cooperate after we have been treated as foreigners or invisibles residing in a spiritual realm? We are indeed, peeved, disappointed, and ashamed for being disregarded and disrespected on our own land and in our own backyard after the occurrence of the incident which caused numerous problems, both spiritually and physically on our land.”
“Part of our disappointments emanate from the fact that all the attention is only on the physical effects and damage caused. Can’t those claiming to know everything assess the spiritual effects and damages and profess solutions? Let’s not be one-sided knowing that coins have double sides/faces.”
“Who then goes there to perform those rituals if the people of Assorko are ignored due to the over-reliance on political maps and demarcations in the determination of the affected jurisdiction of this unfortunate disaster?”
Nana Bekrom II continued by saying that It was embarrassing to note that people could now create boundaries of electoral areas within a few hours after the Assokor community was totally ignored.
He then went on to ask four (4) questions; How was the electoral area and its boundaries created? Were consultations done before that creation and with whom? Where is the boundary between the Anto-Aboso electoral area and that of the Assorko electoral area and Assorko community lands? 4. Have those claiming that the explosion occurred in Anto-Aboso pulled out their self-made electoral area boundary plan to search for the exact spot of the explosion on their map?
He said they were convinced that a grand scheme had been hatched to ignore the people of Assorko when they heard and verified that a team of medical personnel, psychologists and other relevant bodies had been sent to Anto, Aboso, Ohiamadwen and Kobena Andokrom without considering the people of Assorko.
The chief said their displeasure is simply to correct the wrong information already put out there and to draw the attention of all those connected to the spread of the information as well as those who would get the opportunity to carry out any duty connected to the finding of the solution to the problem at hand.
