The Member of Parliament for Ejura Sekyedumase in the Ashanti Region, Mr Bawa Braimah Mohammed has called on the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to instruct the Interior Minister, Mr Ambrose Dery to stop involving the military in operations meant to be carried out by the police.
He observed that there are mostly casualties when the military is engaged to assist the police in dealing with the crowd or doing internal operations, hence the call.
The MP was reacting to the recent clash between the civilians and the security personnel which has left two dead.
Two people died following a clash between the youth of Ejura in the Ejura/Sekyedumase District in the Ashanti Region and security personnel who have been detailed there to maintain law and order.
Four other residents who sustained gunshot wounds have been sent to the hospital for treatment.
The incident happened when security personnel opened fire on the youth when the latter refused to retreat and were bent on demonstrating to demand justice for the murder of their compatriot, Ibrahim Mohammed, 45, also known as Macho Kaaka, who was attacked by unknown assailants in front of his house.
Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Co Host, Ama Gyenfa Ofosu Darkwa, Mr Bawa Braimah Mohammed said, “The way we are using the soldiers for internal security operations does not help. The police sent everything they needed to control the crowd to Ejura, including rubber bullets, and tear gas, so what happened that it was the soldiers who were leading that operation and killing people.”
The Ejura Sekyedumase MP continued that, “We know the police have been trained on how to control crowd and they have been resourced to do it, why didn’t we allow them to lead? Anywhere we send soldiers to help control demonstrations or with internal security, then casualties come in, we saw what happened at Ablekuma, Techiman and Ejura, even what happened at Wa and it does not speak well.”
Meanwhile, he also called on the President to instruct the Ghana Police Service to work with the mandate given them and as well equip them enough to do their work.
“The police have been mandated to take care of internal security, although they have been equipped, let us equip them more and they should be allowed to carry out their mandate,” he added.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
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