Minority Spokesperson on Defence and Interior, James Agalga, has stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has engaged the services of South African mercenaries to train NPP militant groups.
He said in the wake of violence and lawlessness perpetrated by some supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after President Akufo-Addo was sworn-in, including attacks on a Security Coordinator in the Ashanti region and storming court premises to release suspects standing trial for assault and violence, “the NDC called on President Akufo-Addo to immediately disband and demobilise the Invisible Forces, Delta Force and other militant groups operating under the NPP. President Akufo-Addo could not be bothered and took no action to stem the crippling lawlessness and insecurity. Instead, the President has rewarded them by integrating many of these criminal elements into national security."
Addressing a press conference on Friday, 2 March 2018, Mr Agalga said: “We are reliably informed that members of these militant groups have recently undergone training at a camp at Asutsuare belonging to the military. We are further informed that the instructors include two South African mercenaries who were deported from the country in 2016 in the run up to the general elections”.
The press conference follows several armed robberies and murder in the last few days.
But government has announced that Ghanaians should expect friendly visits from police and military personnel in their communities as part of intelligence-led efforts to fight the rising spate of armed robbery in the country.
“Don’t panic or be nervous when you see police and military personnel in your communities; they mean no harm,” Minister of Information Abdul-Hamid Mustapha told journalists on Thursday, 1 March 2018.
He made the announcement after Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia held an emergency meeting with the top hierarchy of the Ghana Police Service and Ghana Armed Forces to strategise against robberies.
It will be recalled that a 44-year-old mother-of-three was stabbed to death by armed men in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region Wednesday night and her handbag stolen by the robbers.
A Lebanese businessman was also shot and killed by robbers after he had withdrawn GHS200,000 from the bank on the same Wednesday at Tema. The robbers bolted with the money.
A day before that a group of armed robbers numbering 10, stormed Royal Motors in Accra in broad day light and made away with some GHS8000. It followed the arrest of nine suspected robbers in connection with raids at several forex bureaus at Spintex in Accra. Also on Thursday, robbers attacked a man at Industrial Area and made way with GHS9000.
<<Print>>