100 Ex- NPP Bodyguards Face the Sack

Accra — Over 100 police men and women formerly of the Very Very Important Person Unit (VVIPU) of the Ghana Police Service who served as bodyguards to ex- President Kufuor, his Vice and ministers of state have been asked to stay at home pending redeployment.

In other words, the police men and women are on the verge of losing their jobs for being too close to top officials of the last government.

This was confirmed by Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, MP for Old Tafo, in an exclusive interview in Parliament last Thursday. Dr. Osei told Public Agenda that, during the transitional period the ex-ministers were assured their bodyguards would continue to guard them until April, but shortly after the promise, the bodyguards were recalled.

Dr. Osei says he has no qualms with the withdrawal of the police personnel, but is obviously worried that as many as 100 police personnel are being made redundant in the face of inadequate police personnel in the system.

"Since the police-citizen ratio is grossly inadequate, I think they should be quickly deployed to perform other protective functions for the government. They being made to stay at home is not the best. Moreover, no part of the Police Service should be frustrated because they are seen as close to the NPP administration."

The concerns of Dr. Osei stem from sections of the Appointments Committee Report, which quoted Hon. Cletus Avoka, Minister designate for Ministry of Interior, as saying that international best practice requires a minimum police population ratio of 1: 500 as opposed to Ghana's current position of 1: 700.

Commenting on the issue earlier on the floor of the House, the Majority Leader, Hon. Alban Bagbin, stressed that "nobody should lose his or her job because of his or political colour " and that it was important that the issue be investigated.

Meanwhile the Appointments Committee last Friday approved 11 presidential nominees. They include Dr. Kwabena Duffour, Finance Minister, Hon Cletus Avoka, Interior Minister, Hon. Alex Tettey-Enyo, Minister for Education, Hon. Akua Sena Dansua, Women and Children Affairs, Hon Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister for Tourism and Hon. Joe Gidisu, Roads and Highways.

Others are Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Alhaji Collins Dauda, Ministry of Lands and Natuaral Resources, Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, Dr. Oteng Adjei, Ministry of Energy and Hon. Mike Hammah, Ministry of Transport.

The Committee's report was totally silent on Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni and Sherry Ayitey, Ministers designate for Foreign Affairs and Environment, Science and Technology respectively; but it is believed that the delay has to do with petitions brought against the two nominees. The petition on Alhaji Mumuni has to do with some monies he allegedly transferred to the National Vocational Training Institute, which is currently before the law courts, while that of Ms. Ayitey is over the Caridem, a 31st December Women Movement's company, and her stewardship at GIHOC.