MPs get security protection with immediate effect

Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, on Tuesday announced that all Members of Parliament are going to be provided with personal bodyguards with immediate effect.

The Minister made the announcement in a briefing to Parliament’s press corps on measures being put in place to protect Members of Parliament.

It followed the killing of Mfantseman MP, Ekow Hayford Quansah, who was shot to death by unknown armed men on his way back from a campaign trip around 1am on Friday, October 9, 2020.

Mr Ambrose Dery said although a Parliamentary Protection Unit of the Police Service had been established since 1992 to provide security for MPs, what delayed the implementation was the extent of the security to be provided.

The Interior Minister added that, the protection of Members of Parliament is part of the general national security architecture which is being taken care of by a number of strategies put in place by the general security system of the country.

He said, 200 more bodyguards are going to be added to the existing ones that have already been provided to MPs who are Ministers and Deputy Ministers, including Leadership of Parliament, which includes, the Speaker, his two Deputies, Majority and Minority Leaders and others.

The Interior Minister further explained that, the bodyguards for MPs are going to work with them only during the day time until they get to their residences while arrangements are underway to provide them with a 24-hour security in their residences.