The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has requested Interior Minister to be summoned to answer questions on the recent kidnappings of the two Canadian women, the Takoradi girls and an Estonian Diplomat.
The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Aaron Ocquaye has subsequently directed the leadership of the house to consider inviting Ambrose Dery to brief members on the state of insecurity in the country.
Speaking to the press, Mr. Ablakwa said it has become necessary to summon the Interior Minister because the recent cases of kidnappings are becoming alarming.
“We are increasingly hearing of more kidnappings. It is creating a lot of apprehensions. We need to be wary of the state of kidnappings going on. As a ranking member of the Foreign Affairs committee, I am particularly worried, this latest kidnapping of the Canadians comes in the wake of the recent kidnapping of an Estonian diplomat.”
“It does appear that something that is rare is beginning to look like a new way crime of which the perpetrators are carrying out with such bravado and so far, no arrest or prosecution has been made. We do not know if ransoms are being paid or Ghana is now a hub of kidnappings. We in the minority are deeply concerned about the spate of insecurity”, he added.
Canadian, Takoradi kidnappings
The latest case of kidnapping in Ghana is the one involving two Canadian women in the Ashanti Regional capital of Kumasi.
Also, the police say it is still working to bring to rest, the case concerning the three kidnapped Takoradi girls whose case has been ongoing for over six months.
In April this year, a 61-year-old Lebanese Consular General and Head of Mission of Estonia to Ghana, Nabil Makram Basbous was kidnapped but was successfully rescued later.
We’re taking kidnapping cases seriously – Police
The Police say they are taking a serious view of the various incidents of kidnapping in the country and are working to tackle them.
The police believe that the public will help them deal with such threats and so want them to assist in addressing the problem.
The Director-General of Public Affairs of the Police, ACP David Eklu said that the police service has taken a serious view of the threats and is working with the relevant stakeholders to find the women and apprehend the criminals.
“Kidnapping is an emerging crime in this country and we are taking it seriously as and when we go. The assurance is that we are working closely with those who are concerned, the embassy and other security agencies and also we need public support so we are very transparent in this case and also putting it out there so that the public can move along with us to get these perpetrators and rescue these two ladies,” he said.