Speaker Bagbin security brouhaha: What the Ministry of National Security, Minority caucus in Parliament have said

There was a wide circulation of correspondence between the office of the Chief of Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin about the former’s withdrawal of military personnel attached to the Office of the latter.

The Correspondence, dated January 11, 2022, indicated that;

The underlisted military personnel were attached to the Office of the Right Honourable Speaker of Parliament without the proper procedure;

a.190195 WOI Jafary Banwura

b.193211 WO11 Apugba Awine David.

c.198083 S/Sgt Agbley Prosper.

d.201021 Sgt Bonney Prince.

It, therefore, requested that the above-named personnel be withdrawn with effect from 14 January 2022 whiles efforts are made to regularize their attachment.

After this wide circulation, the Ministry of National Security released a statement which noted that the correspondence has been misinterpreted as an attempt by the Executive arm of government to deprive the Speaker of the resources required for his full protection.

It, therefore, placed on record that, contrary to the aforesaid misinterpretation, all requisite resources including logistics and personnel required for the full protection of the Speaker have been provided.

Additionally, the Ministry indicated that the Security of the Speaker and MPs have rather been enhanced for the first time since 2017.

Moreover, it emphasized that personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces do not form part of the security detail for the Speaker and Parliament as Parliamentary security support is provided by the Ghana Police Service.

Withdrawal of Speaker’s military security attachment political-Minority

On its part, however, the Minority in Parliament has attributed the withdrawal of the Military detail of the Speaker of Parliament to the former’s bid and stance to be impartial in steering the affairs of the Legislature.

They have therefore described the move as having a political undertone thus shameful.

In a statement, signed by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the caucus additionally noted that it shall hold the Akufo-Addo led government responsible should the Speaker’s security be compromised.

“The minority shall hold the government of President Akufo-Addo responsible should the security of Rt. Hon Alban Bagbin, the speaker of Parliament be compromised in any way,” it reads in part.