NDC approved import of weapons cleared at Tema – Oppong Nkrumah

The Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has disclosed that the cache of weapon intercepted at the Tema port on the 10th of May 2019, were legally imported into the country by a letter of authorization issued to the importer by the ex while Mahama administration on the 5th of January 2017, two clear days to the end of its term of office.

Addressing a news conference at the Ministry of Information Wednesday, the Minister for information referred to a permit letter signed by the former Deputy Minister of the Interior during the NDC administration, James Agalga (MP), and dated the 5th of January 2017 and indicated that the former Mahama government granted “M/s Yadco Ghana” the permit to import twenty thousand (20,000) cases of five hundred (500) pieces of Shotgun cartridges, four thousand (4,000) pieces of hunting shotguns and five hundred boxes of percussion caps in the Country.

“We find it strange that the very persons who issued the permit for the importation of these arms will today turn around and say that the Akufo Addo administration has issued permits and therefore has to take the security situation of this country a lot more seriously that it is doing now” The Information Minister said.

According to the information Minister, it is surprising that the former administration chose to issue such a permit just two days before it handed over to the new government.

It is curious because at that time [during the transition], we had had a conversation about the fact that all major transactions needed to be fair to both sides and this was issued on the blind side of everybody else” the information Minister added.

He assured that in accordance with the standard practice, the consignment has duly been inspected and has been delivered at a designated storage area.

The state security agencies are taking the necessary steps to ensure that the consignment does not get into the hands of unauthorized persons” Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said.