Incompetent Mustapha Hamid shouldn't be addressing security matters - Minority jabs

The Minority in Parliament has described as unnecessary and misplaced, a press conference organized by Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid to address Ghanaians on matters of security following the recent trend of robberies in several parts of the country.

According to them, Mustapha Hamid is in no position to tackle such delicate issues when there are more appropriate persons designated to do that.

Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid on Thursday, March 1 organised a press conference to address the media on the recent spate of armed robbery attacks across the country especially in the capital city, Accra.

The Minister, during the conference hinted that government has put in measures to beef up security by deploying the military to support the police in patrolling to combat crime in the country. He also issued a directive to the Energy Ministry to facilitate the communities’ lighting programme specifically in areas reported to have high prevalence of criminal activities.

Addressing the media in Parliament on Friday, March 2 however, Minority Spokesperson on Defence and Interior James Agalga said the Information Minister is not the right person to address the media on issues of national security. For him, the Ministers in charge of security; Defence Ministers, Interior Ministers and the National Security Ministers are more capable and skilled to handle such subjects.

“There is a problem with the minister for information coming out with disclosures with regards to management of security in the country and operational matters. You see there are ministers responsible for the management of security in this country. We have stated that this is the first time we have had several ministers appointed to take charge of our national security”, he said.

“We have a minister responsible for the Interior, minister responsible for national security, the minister responsible for defence and etc. Why is it the Minister for Information who must come out and talk about security-related issues while all these ministries are there functioning with several staff supporting them, deputies, there is even a Minister of State in charge of National Security at the National Security Ministry. So you see the honourable Mustapha Hamid, I mean yes he’s the Minister of Information but I thought that he lacks the competence to discuss security. The line ministers ought to have done that”, he added.

Members of the Minority in Parliament further indicated that calls for the dismissal of the Inspector General of Police are premature and misplaced, rather he says, Ghanaians must rather push out the NPP government instead of the IGP.