A security analyst, Adam Bonaa, has criticised Ghana’s security structure in the wake of the violence at the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election because he feels an unqualified person spoke on the matter on behalf of the government.
The Minister of State in-charge-of National Security, Bryan Acheampong, sought to clarify the security officers role in the disturbances but Mr. Bonaa remarked: “I am not even sure why he is talking.”
[contextly_sidebar id=”B9jwimBTKkgLOrnrtvzFSBlmBk8j6KwK”]”Ministers are better placed to comment on policy,” he added on Citi TV’s The Point of View on Monday.
“He [Bryan Acheampong] is not supposed to be talking. He doesn’t know what he is talking about. He is a minister and as a policymaker, my expectations from a minister is to explain policy.”
Ideally, police personnel should have been providing official comments on the violent incident at the by-election, Mr. Bonaa insisted.
“[The ones] who are supposed to be talking are the people on the ground. The police personnel, the SWAT unit are supposed to be coordinated by the police.”
“Some of these issues are better left for those who are supposed to be operationally on the ground to come in with cool heads, explain matters to people but it looks like the more he spoke, the more he contradicted himself.”
Mr. Bonaa added that “it would have probably made a bit of sense if Kan Dapaah [the National Security Minister] had spoken.”
Among other things, Mr. Acheampong sought to provide clarity on the status of the masked men whose appearance observers claimed “intimidated” civilians during the by-election.
He confirmed that they were national security personnel deployed by the state.
The minister also claimed that the by-election, which ended with at least 13 persons being injured, was the most peaceful by-election on record.
The personnel have been widely condemned for their excessive tactics which saw them brutalize some purported suspects who were unarmed and in custody.
The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, was also at the wrong end of some security personnel as he was seen being struck in the face by two security personnel in a viral video.
The whole controversy was sparked by some confusion near a polling station near La Bawaleshie which led to a shooting incident.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa | citinewsroom.com | Ghana