Residents at Huhunya in the Yilo Krobo municipality in Eastern Region have threatened to take the law into their own hands if police presence is not beefed up in the area.
This follows last weekend's robbery incident which left three persons dead. Two of the members of the community were shot dead by armed robbers and the residents in return burnt one of the suspected criminals to death.
The suspected armed robber was believed to have escaped an attack from a community they went to rob. The robber was tied and burnt in the boot of the car they used for the robbery operation.
Speaking on Starr FM, the residents said they want security in the area improved to ensure the protection of lives and properties and also make the area safe for tourists.
''Police presence is needed in the area. We are not safe here. We need the Minister of Tourism to step down to ensure proper security, otherwise chaos''.
''My goats were stolen,my sister's livestock was also stolen as well. Robbery is very high in this area and we are asking for security presence, if that doesn't happen, we will take the law into our own hands when we catch any thief, '' another pointed out.
The PRO for the Eastern Regional Police Command, DSP Ebenezer Tetteh responding to the concerns of security of the residents and their decision threaten to take the law into their own hands if police presence is not beefed up in the area said:
''If they take the law into their own hands the laws of Ghana will be made to deal with them. Residents of the area should get it clear that we are not in a jungle society neither a lawless one. Even the second person they claimed was a robber who was nearly lynched, upon investigations turned out to be a wrong person which not for police intervention would have been killed now''.
''So if they threaten to take the law into their own hands we are not in a jungle society the authorities of the state will be brought to bear and they will get to know that we are not in a jungle society but a society of law and order''.
He further indicated that no arrest has been made so far, saying the residents are not prepared to assist the police to make an arrest.
Meanwhile, bodies of the two deceased residents – Jerry Kwame Tettehfio and Aaron Padi Attarmah as well as the body of the robber have been deposited at the morgue at the Eastern Regional Hospital, Koforidua.