Security Analyst, Adam Bona is calling for a quick resolution to the issues surrounding the importation of a large cache of arms into the country.
He believes a meeting should be held to settle on whether the guns should be allowed into the market or turned away from public attention.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah at a press briefing on Thursday, accused the Mahama administration and Former Deputy Minister of Interior, James Agalga of issuing the said import permit only to turn around and accuse the current government of allowing the disputed batch of arms.
[contextly_sidebar id=”R6rzC886UU9ZtTTptj6xpQhbK3m2ZuJi”]Speaking to Citi News, Adam Bonaa said the trading of accusations was unhealthy.
“It shouldn’t have come into the public domain. I think it was out there because probably there was a response from the opposition and so the ruling government had to come and clarify things. We are talking about deadly weapons and for security reasons; it is not every detail that has to come out.”
“So for me, I think they have to stop the argument in public and sit and have some form of dialogue or communication with those who brought in the firearms because it has implications on our security”, he added.
Mahama administration gave permit for importation of guns – Gov’t
The opposition party in a recent statement raised an alarm that the Akufo-Addo administration had authorised the importation of the weapons at a time the country was grappling with the threat of terrorism.
But the government said it can confirm that the Mahama Administration under the NDC rather issued the permit for the importation of the arms before leaving office in January 2017.
“It is curious that after the election of 2016, two days to the handing over on the 5th of January [2017] at a time of the transition, this permit was issued on the blind side of everyone”, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said.
The minister, however, said as the consignment arrived; it was duly inspected in accordance with standard practice and has been delivered at a designated storage area.
“The state security agencies are ensuring that the consignment does not get into the hands of unauthorised persons” he added.