Military in Parliament: Commander wanted to restore order – Kan-Dapaah

The National Security Minister-designate, Albert Kan-Dapaah, has revealed that military officers who besieged Parliament on January 7, 2021, did so on the orders of a commander.

According to him, the said military commander deployed his men into the chamber because he felt things were getting out of order and wanted to restore sanity.

He dismissed suggestions that the military was deployed by the government to intimidate the members of the House.

“A commander felt things were getting out of order and decided to deploy the military to restore order, so I questioned him ‘why did you think your presence there was going to frighten them’, or could you arrest them…it was an unfortunate incident and we wish it never happens again.

He, however, added that the CDS has been directed by the President to investigate the incident for the appropriate sanctions are proferred the said commander.

Armed soldiers on January 7 stormed the Chamber of Parliament following the continued failure of the Members of Parliament-elect to elect the Speaker for the Eighth Parliament.

The soldiers, numbering about 20, emerged in the Chamber together with armed policemen ostensibly to restore calm in the Chamber.

The well-armed security detail, with some having facemasks, came to the floor of Parliament at about 3.30 a.m.