Military presence at Ejura: I acted per the law -Simon Osei Mensah

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei-Mensah has defended his decision to request military presence in Ejura, indicating that he acted in accordance with the law.

The minister cited specifically, the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, Act 1030.

“I took this decision in line with the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, Act 1030, and specifically section 5 that establishes the Regional Security Council [REGSEC], and section 6 that gives the membership of the council, and also makes the regional minister chairman of REGSEC, and section 7 that gives the function of REGSEC which include maintenance of peace and security in the region,” he said.

The minister made these statements when he appeared before the 3-man committee set up by the Interior Minister on the orders of the President to probe the Ejura incident.

Hon. Osei Mensah further noted that he requested the presence of the military in Ejura on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in his capacity as  Chairman of the Regional Security Council, REGSEC acting upon an intelligence he gathered.

He additionally mentioned to the committee that he picked intelligence that the youth had planned to burn the Ejura District Police Station after the burial of social activist, popularly known as Kaaka.

The regional minister however disagreed with calls for the military to be prevented from assisting the Ghana Police Service in its internal security functions including civil protests and suggested that Security agencies be rather educated and encouraged to collaborate in circumstances such as the one at Ejura.

“I’ve used this strategy all this while. This is the first time we have casualties, and I think we should continue with it. But there must be more education and communication between the various security agencies as to how to act under such circumstances,” the minister indicated.

The Ejura incidence and killing is a fall out of the death of a social activist known as Ibrahim Mohammed popularly called ‘Kaaka’ on Monday, June 28, 2021.

His family notes that he received several threats as a result of his social activism and is even convinced that his killing was a result of that role.

After the burial on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, some residents of Ejura had a confrontation with a team of police and military personnel, leading to the death of two persons who were shot by some soldiers. The Police claim the protestors had become rowdy and were pelting the security personnel with stones.

So far, 2 more people have died since ‘Kaaka’ was buried with others receiving treatment at the hospital from the various degrees of injury.