Hon Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze
Central Tongu

Mr Speaker, I rise, with a very heavy heart, to draw the attention of this august House to an alarming and tragic incident that has occurred in Central Tongu, that is the brutal murder of one Nelson Anyina, a 24-year-old native of Wusuta in the North Dayi District who was residing at Avakpedome in the Central Tongu District. The young man was reported missing to the Adidome Police Command on the 4th December, 2024 by his mother, Madam Comfort Hate, a trader at Donkokrom in the Eastern Region.

Mr Speaker, the initial disappearance of Nelson left local leaders and the community members in a state of shock and fear. Until relentless efforts by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and the Ghana Police Service, including the intervention of officers from the Volta Regional Command of the Police Service in Ho, brought relief to the residents. It is gratifying to note that investigations led to the arrest of three individuals: Wisdom Xedidor, Courage Bedzo and Augustina Esinu Fiawoyife at Avakpedome in the Central Tongu District. Upon series of investigations, these suspects later confessed to the investigators that they strangled the young man to death at around on the same day he was declared missing.

Mr Speaker, further investigations have revealed that the lifeless body of the victim was reportedly transported in a tricycle to Gblorkope, a village near Mafi Adidome, where the body was sold to three brothers: Noah, John, and Johannes Gblor, for an amount of GH₵10,000. An initial payment of GH₵7,000 was made, with GH₵3,000 in arrears, showing the sheer commodification of human life for ritual purposes.

Mr Speaker, this is not an isolated case. The Central Tongu District and its surrounding communities have become hotspots for suspected ritual murders. Okada riders have frequently fallen victim to these criminal elements. They are murdered either for their motorbikes or for ritual purposes. Mr Speaker, in June 2021, a young man called Kobla Abraham Tsormana, a native of Mafi Tsakpo, was also murdered in cold blood. The whole area was thrown into fear and residents could not go about their normal duties, until I single-handedly funded the investigative efforts of security personnel of the area to get the perpetrators of this heinous crime arrested. They were processed for court, but no one knows where that matter has ended. It is very sad, Mr Speaker. These are not just anecdotal accounts. These are cases that have left families shattered and entire communities living in fear.

Mr Speaker, the nationwide trend of ritual killing is growing. According to data from the Ghana Police Service and various media houses, between 2021 and 2024, over 70 reported cases of suspected ritual killings were recorded in different parts of this country, including Kasoa, Wa, Sunyani and Central Tongu. In April 2021, the ritual killing of a 10- year-old boy in Kasoa by two teenagers shocked the whole nation and sparked public outcry.

In Wa, a series of killings targeted at private security personnel created panic, with some bodies discovered mutilated and suggestive of ritual motives. In the Ashanti Region, reports of missing persons, particularly women and children, continue to rise, with many believed to be victims of human sacrifice and money rituals. Mr Speaker, the implications of these acts go beyond the loss of lives. They scare investors away, incite mob action and diminish public trust in our security system.

Mr Speaker, I wish to call upon, the Ghana Police Service to intensify its surveillance on ritual-related activities and to fast-track the prosecution of all six suspects currently in custody at the regional police command in the Volta region to serve as deterrents to others. I, therefore, call upon the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP) to, as a matter of urgency, not only increase the police visibility in the area, but to make available one strong vehicle for the district command of police in Central Tongu.

Mr Speaker, the Minister responsible for National Security should also conduct a nationwide intelligence operation to identify and dismantle unregistered shrines and criminal networks engaged in ritual killings. The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs should partner with traditional leaders in educating communities and also regulating spiritual practices that glorify blood rituals and human sacrifices. The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs should strengthen district-level community policing and vigilance groups to monitor and report suspicious movements.

Mr Speaker, it is sad to inform you that Central Tongu District can only boast of 15 police personnel in the whole district, which alone can give rise, in no small measure, to the ritual killing. The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition should also provide more street lights to the various districts for installations to prevent some of these crimes being perpetrated in obscure environments.

Mr Speaker, we must not wait until another life is lost under a horrific situation before we take action. The death of Nelson Anyina is a clarion call to act, not just in Central Tongu but across Ghana. No Ghanaian, regardless of age, class or location, should live in fear of being kidnapped or murdered for rituals. Justice must be swift, visible and effective. Mr Speaker, I submit this Statement to this august House and urge all Members to lend their voices to this urgent national concern.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.