The Minority in Parliament is demanding the immediate resignation of President Akufo-Addo concluding he was complicit in the existence of a militia group housed at the former seat of government in the Osu Castle.
The Minority’s claims follow the airing of an investigative piece by head of JoyNews Investigative Desk, Manasseh Azure Awuni on Thursday March 7, 2019.
The Minority believe the gravity of the revelations requires no other option than the immediate resignation of the President who they describe as a ‘War Lord’ premised on the fact that the leader of the group is his former bodyguard.
“We insist that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo must resign as President of the Republic with immediate effect. The President has lost every moral authority to continue to occupy that high office after having been caught “In flagrante delicto,” the Minority maintained at a press briefing following the uncovering of De-Eye Group.
They said, “President Akufo-Addo has so far shown that apart from class acts which easily makes him a candidate for an Oscar, there is no sincerity and genuineness on his part to uproot the menace of party militias. On the contrary, it has now emerged that President Akufo-Addo is himself a War Lord as Prof. Henrietta Mensah Bonsu has appropriately advised on how to describe persons who sponsor and house party militias.”
The Christianborg Castle serves as offices for the Ministries of Zongo and Inner City Development, Planning, Special Initiatives and Minister of State at the Presidency, Rockson Bukari.
In addition, the Minority in its press conference held in Parliament today called on the IGP to instate a series of investigations into the matter.
The insisted that an immediate swoop be carried out in the area to arrest all those involved in the operations of the militia at the former seat of Government.
In their view, the operations of the militia violate several laws and demand swift action to curtail their activities and without delay an investigation into how the Pro NPP group came to secure offices at such a location for their activities.
“We call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately, that’s before close of day, carry out a swoop and arrest the leaders and members of De-Eye Group militia. It is obvious that the group has flagrantly violated numerous laws including but not limited to Articles 85, 200 (2) and 210 (2) of the Constitution of Ghana and Police Service Act, 1970 (Act 350),” the Minority stressed.
“That an investigation be opened into how a facility owned and managed by the State – the Osu Castle became a safe haven for an NPP militia. That the State should take urgent steps to reclaim the offices and other State properties in the possession of the leaders of De-Eye Group Militia as a matter of prime importance” they emphasized.
The Minority also expressed their disappointment at the posture of the president when it comes to disbanding political vigilantes describing it as ‘pretentious’
They suggest that these revelations in the documentary strengthen their call for an all-inclusive approach to dealing with issue of political vigilantism as the President has not demonstrated enough commitment and sincerity to his directive to disband the militias.
During the state of the Nation Address, the President sent out a word of caution to political parties who operated vigilante groups and advised both NPP and NDC to meet to discuss the way forward in doing away with them.
“I want to use this platform of this message to make a sincere passionate appeal to the leaders of the two main political parties in our country NPP and NDC to come together as soon as possible, preferably next week to agree on appropriate measures to bring an end to this unacceptable phenomenon of vigilantism in our body of politics” Akufo-Addo asserted.
He added, ”I have asked the leadership of the NPP to extend an invitation to the leaders of the NDC for such a meeting, the security services of the country will be on standby to assist this meeting. If political disbandment by the parties is not feasible then I will initiate legislation in the matter”.
The Minority insist that “this special Joy News’ investigative report has exposed the pretentious and deceptive character of President Akufo-Addo. Apparently, whereas President Akufo-Addo publicly engages in lofty rhetoric about the urgent need to disband political party militias, he is busily nurturing many more militias behind the scenes. A clear case of preaching virtue and practicing vice.”
By: Jonah Eledi/awakenewsonline.com