A group known as the Humanist Association of Ghana has joined calls for reforms in the country’s security setup.
The Association says the reforms would be necessary to restore public confidence in the security set-up.
Condemning the arrest and assault of Citi News’ journalist, the Association called on President Akufo-Addo to rid the system of officers who bring the name of the agencies into disrepute.
Speaking to Citi News, the President of the Association, Michael Osei Assibey, said “the silence of the government on this issue sounds like an endorsement of the act. We have seen it with Modern Ghana journalists among others. This is a growing pattern of power play, and should be treated with the seriousness it deserves.”
“We want reforms in the security sector, that way, the confidence of Ghanaians in the security will be restored.”
On Tuesday, May 11, 2021, operatives of National Security arrested and assaulted Citi FM‘s Caleb Kudah, after they found him filming abandoned state-funded vehicles near their office.
The operatives subsequently besieged the premises of Citi FM to arrest another journalist, Zoe Abu-Baidoo Addo because Caleb had sent the files to her via WhatsApp.
Both reporters were forced by the operatives to delete all multimedia materials on their phones.
The two are yet to be charged after their release on that same day.
Following this development and the vivid accounts given by the two journalists on The Point of View on Citi TV, several individuals and credible organizations have condemned the National Security’s handling of the situation, and called for a thorough probe, and also a restructuring of the national security outfit.
The National Security Secretariat in a statement on the development said it is investigating the matter.
The National Security Ministry later reported that the Director of Operations at the National Security, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman, and other National Security operatives violated the Ministry’s operating standards.
“The secondment of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman (Director of Operations) at the Ministry has been reversed. The officer is to report to the Chief of Defence Staff for further investigations and appropriate action” the Ministry said in a statement.
Three police officers involved in the assault were also withdrawn and instructed to report to the Ghana Police Service for investigation.
Lieutenant Colonel Frank Agyeman has since been appointed as the Commanding Officer of the 64 Infantry Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces amidst condemnation from various NGOs and civil society groups.
DSP Samuel K. Azugu has also been transferred from the National Security Secretariat at the Blue Gate, as the Commander of the SWAT unit.
DSP Azugu has been moved to the National Operation Headquarters of the Ghana Police Service.
