Govt tells NPP to respect mandate of security agencies

Accra, June 3, GNA - The government on Wednesday urged operatives of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to respect the mandate of state security agencies and avoid interfering with lawful investigative process.

Mr James Agyenim-Boateng, Deputy Minister of Information, described the action of some former ministers of the NPP government who besieged the headquarters of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) banging on the metal gates, making derogatory remarks against the officials as most "irresponsible".

He said Government found it most unfortunate and ironic that persons who claimed to believe in the rule of law would rather be seeking to prevent the security agencies from carrying out their lawful mandate.

Following media reports of the purported arrest and detention of Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, former Chief of Staff, by operatives of the BNI on Tuesday, scores of supporters and former ministers of state besieged the BNI premises to offer moral support to Mr Mpiani.

"Let me state that the action of some of the former ministers and scores of supporters of NPP who besieged the BNI headquarters was irresponsible and must be condemned by all.

"Wasn't it shameful to observe that some former ministers of state were banging on cars of innocent Ghanaian road users? Are these actions of a responsible group of people?"

The BNI on Tuesday questioned the former Chief of Staff on "wide range of issues," including transactions, procurements and contracts relating to Ghana International Airlines, Ghana@50 celebrations, the construction of the Presidential Complex and the other deals entered into by the former Government.

Mr Agyenim-Boateng assured all Ghanaians, the international community and especially the NPP, that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) "does not have the time to waste on retributive actions. "Indeed, many Ghanaians, both at home and abroad, will agree that the matters for which Mr Mpiani was invited and questioned are matters of grave national importance."

Mr Agyenim-Boateng, who is also a professional journalist, condemned in no uncertain terms, the tendency of some media houses to deliberately distort facts even after explanations had been offered. He refuted the allegation that security operatives picked two journalists and detained them, stressing "the two persons were captured by the CCTV cameras outside the immediate precincts of the BNI headquarters idling around".

The Deputy Minister said it should be expected that as a security installation, those who loiter or idle around the premises would be picked up after some monitoring.

He said a search on the two person revealed that they were journalists - one a photo-journalists and the other a reporter. The BNI officials then proceeded to inform their superiors about the development, the journalists were educated on security installations and made to go.

"This ministry therefore finds it unacceptable that the official website of a private radio station would claim that two journalists were detained and I James Agyenim-Boateng confirmed their detention and added that they were not harassed while in detention.

"I never said that, and would never say that.the two persons were not detained and as they stated themselves they were advised against loitering around security installations and released." "It is also important to note that these two persons were not picked up as journalists from a particular media house. These facts were known after they were picked up for loitering," the Deputy Minister stated.