National Security denies claims of attempt to put Speaker ‘in harm’s way’

The National Security Ministry has responded to a leaked correspondence between the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Speaker of Parliament, from which allegations had been made to the effect that government was seeking to deprive the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, of the resources required for his full protection.

The Ministry insisted in a statement that, contrary to the claims that the Speaker had been “put in harm’s way”, “all requisite resources, including logistics and personnel, required for the full protection of the Speaker have been provided.”

The statement further explained that for the first time since 2017, the security arrangements for both the Speaker and Members of Parliament had been improved significantly.

Role of soldiers

According to the Ministry of National Security, personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces do not provide security for the Speaker and MPs, “as Parliamentary security support is provided by the Ghana Police Service.”

It clarified further that any need for specific agency support is mostly done on a need basis in accordance with laid down protocols.

“To reiterate, there has neither been a withdrawal of the security detail for the Speaker nor a reduction in the security strength of Parliament. The good people of Ghana are, therefore, entreated to disregard any unfounded speculation to this effects,” the statement added.

Accusations

The clarification was made after the Member of Parliament for Banda and Deputy Minority Whip, Ahmed Ibrahim, had claimed that the removal of the soldiers who were attached to the Office of the Speaker was done on the orders of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Speaking on ‘News 360’ on TV3 over the weekend, the member of the Defence Committee of Parliament said the news of the removal came at a shock to the Minority in Parliament.

“This came to us a great shock,” he said, adding that “this is the time we all need to come together to work on security.”

He added: “We are surprised as a minority to hear government withdrawing the military detachment of the speaker. The speaker is number three; even the EC chair is using about ten military personnel. So if the Speaker duly requested for four and they have been on duty for over one year, the question: is what has changed? It raises security questions.”

Without providing any evidence, the MP claimed: “It is President Akufo-Addo who has withdrawn the military detachment; he is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. The Minority will meet on Monday.”

Procedure

Earlier, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) had said that the four soldiers who had been withdrawn from the Office of the Speaker of Parliament were attached to that particular office without proper procedure.

“This resulted in the decision to withdraw them while efforts are made to regularise their attachment”, it said in a statement.

“The under-named military personnel were attached to the Office of the Rt Honourable Speaker of Parliament without the proper procedure,” the statement signed by the Chief of Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, NP Andoh, explained.