The Minister of State in charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong has said the presence of masked armed men assaulting some civilians during the recently held Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election was “not a failed operation” despite all the condemnation from civil service organizations, opposition political parties, and the general public.
According to him, the armed and masked men numbering about 60 of them deployed did not fire gunshots indiscriminately as reported by the media.
Appearing before the Justice Emile Short commission of Inquiry Mr. Acheampong explained that the armed security operatives seen in khaki and masks did not misconduct themselves in their handling of the volatile security situation during the by-election.
He explained that although he was not on the ground for first hand information, the security briefs he received indicates that the armed masked men, widely described in the media as hoodlums were on duty to arrest certain 9 persons who were causing trouble near the home of the NDC candidate for the by-election. He added that ‘minimal force’ was used in their arrest after they initially resisted arrest.
Mr. Bryan Acheampong who is also a Member of Parliament of the Abetifi Constituency in his defence for the national security operatives said the gunshots they fired were warning shots and not directed at any person.
He alleged that all the gunshots wounds took place inside the house of the NDC parliamentary candidate for the by-election, Mr. Delali Kwesi Brempong.
“They tell me, that in the arrest of the nine people, six were injured I asked if it was from gunshots, they said no. They were resisting arrest and they applied minimal force in their language and sustained some injuries, they sent to the police station and they were given medical forms, so yes, some Ghanaians sustained injuries.”
“Your question suggest that the gunshots wound came from the SWAT team, we denied that flatly that they gave the gunshots from outside the warehouse and the gunshots were up they were not directed at persons. We did not enter the house, we arrested the nine persons outside the gates of the house and not inside the house. We left the scene and I have seen the video suggesting that. The gunshots wounds that we have seen came from inside the house.”
‘State-sponsored’ Ayawaso violence not a reflection of Ghana’s democracy – Mahama
Former President John Mahama after the violence launched a scathing attack on Government.
In a speech during his campaign in the Volta region, the former President cautioned that his party is ready to match the NPP “boot for boot” adding that no other party beats the NDC in “unleashing violence” of that kind.
Mr. Mahama has also claimed that countries in the sub-region and elsewhere on the African continent had raised questions about the violence that happened at the La Bawaleshi polling centre during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.
According to John Mahama, these are countries that look up to Ghana as a beacon of democracy.
Speaking on Wednesday at a meeting at Peduase with members of the Diplomatic Corps, former President John Dramani Mahama said the violence was not a reflection of Ghana’s democracy.
“The violence took a different form. It was state-sponsored because those who were involved in these dastardly acts were brought there by the state. They were armed to the teeth; they discharged weapons and injured several people. Unfortunately, that is not part of Ghana’s democratic culture. It was a day of shame for Ghana because Ghana has always been seen as the model of democracy in Africa,” he said.
Background
The NDC withdrew from the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election following the shooting incident and ordered its polling agents and observers out of the area.
The masked men were caught on camera beating up civilians who did not resist arrest. The men, fully armed were also seen in the company of some police officers.
Some of these men believed to party vigilantes of the ruling NPP were seen in T-shirts with the inscription ‘NSC’ which translates as the National Security Council of which the President of the Republic heads.
The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, was seen being struck in the face by two security personnel in a viral video.
Mr. Bryan Acheampong, Minister of State in charge of National Security in an interview on the Citi Breakfast show, said his outfit deployed the masked men.
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By: Jude Mensa Duncan | citinewsroom.com | Ghana | duncanmensa@gmail.com