‘Militia group at Osu Castle means Akufo-Addo loves violence’ – Deputy NDC Women Organizer

A Deputy National Women’s Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Maame Efua Sakyiwaa Houajeto has said the security of Ghanaians under the Akufo-Addo adminstration is not guaranteed.

She posited that Ghana had become a “lawless state” and the lives of citizens are endangered because the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has proven beyond reasonable doubt that it loves violence.

She was reacting to a Joy News exposé that unveiled the activities of a militia group associated with the NPP which trains at the former seat of government, the Christiansborg Castle at Osu in Accra.

Joy FM’s investigative journalist, Manasseh Azuri Awuni, exposed the operations of the group known as ‘De-Eye Group’ and said the facility has been used by the militia group for close to two years.

In the documentary, it emerged that sometimes the group offers protection to some state functions. The group, according to Manasseh, provided security at the Accra International Conference Centre on December 7, 2018 when the NPP held the ceremony at Centre to celebrate the legacy and launch a foundation of one of the founding fathers of the party, Simon Dombo.

They manned the gate to the Conference Centre and were everywhere including the main entrances to the Conference Hall, the investigation reveals.

This programme was attended by almost everyone who matters in the NPP, including former President H.E John Agyekum Kufuor, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and his wife Samira.

President Akufo-Addo was the special guest of honour.

After the documentary was shown on TV Thursday night, Ghanaians have been wondering whether President Akufo-Addo was really committed to fighting political party millitia in the country as he disclosed when presenting his state of the nation address last month.

But Mrs Houajeto who was speaking on Inside Politics on Radio XYZ on Friday observed there was so much insecurity under President Akufo-Addo’s administration.

She said the violence that marred the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections already put in Ghanaians fear they are yet to recover from only to hear that militias are being trained at a former seat of the president.

“Nana Akufo-Addo is a warlord”, she stated and argued that the pockets of violence coupled with suspected killings in the country indicate that the president is not doing enough to secure the citizens.

“When former president Rawlings was a president we knew him as ‘Junior Jesus’, we knew the late Professor Mills as ‘Asomdwoe hene’ (King of Peace), we knew former president Kufour as ‘Gentle Giant’, we also knew former president Mahama as ‘Commissioner-General’, but as for Nana Addo we can only call him a ‘warlord’,” the NDC women’s Organiser said.

She further asked Ghanaians to rise up and kick against the governance of Akufo-Addo and vote against him in the 2020 elections since he does not have Ghana at heart.

“We all have to stand up because this is our country and we don’t have to do this to ourselves …As I’m here, I’m scared for 2020 elections if the NPP has been able to train about 5,000 militias,” she added.

Minority

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has called for the resignation of President Akufo-Addo over the militia group, citing he has lost every moral right to lead the country.

Addressing the media following the exposé, the deputy minority leader, James Klutse Avedzi, charged the Inspector General of Police to arrest all the young men caught in the documentary.

The Minority said the exposé “shakes the very foundations of the notion that Ghana remains a stable democratic State.”

“Since the airing of “The Militia in the Heart of the Nation,” dark clouds now hang over our dear nation as many ponder deeply on the direction of our country under the duplicitous and deceptive leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” Mr Avedzi said.

He added “The investigative report brings to the fore the inner workings of the militia and how well connected they are to party bigwigs including President Akufo-Addo himself. In a military ops style, divisions within the militia are Alpha, Charley, Delta and the Special Unit.”

The Minority argued that the “investigative report has exposed the pretentious and deceptive character of President Akufo-Addo. Apparently, whereas President Akufo-Addo publicly engages in lofty rhetoric about the urgent need to disband political party militias, he is busily nurturing many more militias behind the scenes. A clear case of preaching virtue and practicing vice.”