The back and forth between the Minority in Parliament and the government seems to have no end in sight. This is because the Minority has responded to the daring challenge by Interior Minister Henry Quartey following their earlier claim.
Henry Quartey threatened to expose the NDC MPs who beg for their people to be recruited into the various security agencies. He said the NDC has no evidence to back their claim that the government has given 30 slots each to NPP MPs to recruit into the security agencies but still go ahead to make noise about it.
In a sharp response, Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson dared the Ayawaso Central MP and Interior Minister to name the NDC MPs. He said Henry Quartey’s comment is “baseless” and an attempt to “divert attention” from the main issue.
“I find the recent statements by the Interior Minister, Henry Quartey, both alarming and baseless. His insinuation that members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have participated in improper recruitment practices without providing any evidence is a clear attempt to divert attention from the substantive issues at hand,” Ato Forson said in a post on X.
He said Henry Quartey’s comment is “intended to intimidate and silence legitimate criticism” from the Minority MPs.
Ato Forson reiterated that the NDC has nothing to gain more than the call for fairness and transparency in the recruitment process.
Background of the Secret Recruitment Saga
The Minority in Parliament alleged that the government was illegally recruiting NPP loyalists into the security agencies. They said the recruitment was done in secret and each NPP MP and Parliamentary Candidate was given 30 slots each for the purpose.
According to the NDC, it was illegal and not healthy for the nation’s security especially with elections coming up soon.
Interior Minister Henry Quartey responded by denying the claims, insisting there was no such thing as secret recruitment. He, however, said there was a planned recruitment but the government wanted to use the backlog from previous applications instead of advertising for new applications. The Minister added that an advert will be made within the following week to inform the public.
However, in a subsequent interview, the Minister took matters further by alleging that some NDC MPs come to beg for their people to be recruited into the services.
“They are making all sorts of allegations about giving slots to parliamentary candidates and the recruitment of vigilantes. I dare them to mention just one person from these groups,” Henry Quartey said on Dwaso Nsem on Adom FM on May 21.
“Don’t they also come to us always to beg for their people to be recruited? They shouldn’t go that line. If they dare me, I will mention their names and the people they brought. I’m saying it on authority; if they dare me,” he threatened.
That reaction by the Interior Minister displeased the Minority Leader, leading to him coming up with a daring statement asking Henry Quartey to name the NDC MPs.
Read Cassiel Ato Forson’s statement below.
I find the recent statements by the Interior Minister, Henry Quartey, both alarming and baseless. His insinuation that members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have participated in improper recruitment practices without providing any evidence is a clear attempt to divert attention from the substantive issues at hand
The Minister’s remarks, made during an interview with Neat FM on May 21, 2024, and reproduced in the article below, come off as a hollow threat intended to intimidate and silence legitimate criticism from the Minority Caucus.
Our concern has been and remains the transparency and fairness in the recruitment process into our country’s security services. Specifically, we highlighted credible information suggesting that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is manipulating recruitment processes to favor its parliamentary candidates with 30 slots each. This allegation is serious and deserves a substantive response, not deflection.
I challenge the Interior Minister to name the individuals he claims were brought forward by NDC MPs for recruitment. Let us move away from rhetoric and towards accountability. If the Minister cannot provide these names, then his statements must be seen for what they are: an attempt to distract from the substantive concerns we have raised.
Mr. Minister, I can assure you that we will bring a motion to Parliament to demand an enquiry into the recruitment into security services since 2017.
The integrity of our security services and the trust of the Ghanaian people in our institutions depend on our collective commitment to transparency and justice.