Mahama's request for pistol needless - MP

Tuesday's edition of the Daily Guide Newspaper reported that President John Dramani Mahama appears to be jittery about his personal safety in spite of the heavy security detail he has at his disposal 24 hours a day, as he has requested for a pistol to protect himself.

The paper claims to have intercepted a letter from the president asking to be granted a permit to import and licence a pistol and 200 rounds of ammunition to the Interior Ministry.

According to the paper, Deputy Minister for Interior thereby appended a signature on a letter to the various institutions responsible to oversee the import and licence within 24 hours of request.

In an interview with Kwame Tutu on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Charles Takyi Boadu of the Daily Guide Newspaper said he personally called the Deputy Minister, James Agalga to confirm or deny appending his signature on the letter intercepted by the paper.

However, the Minister he noted, failed to give him a yes or no rather than to question why he [Takyi Boadu] should subject him [Minister] to investigations.

In a reaction to the publication, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkoranza North and a security expert, Hon. Derrick Oduro [Major rtd] said the President's safety in the country is premier with maximum protection and security at his disposal and does not see the need for President John Dramani Mahama to request for a weapon, therefore, wonders when and how he intends using the pistol.

According to him, it is not wrong for the President to licence a weapon since he might want his privacy-hence the request, but he personally thinks he [Mahama] has adequate protection.

The legislator added President Mahama cannot by his own volition manage his own security as the Constitution of the Republic has made enough provisions on how he should be protected.

President Mahama's security, he emphasised, is at its peak and not jittery as some people may suggest.