Parliament decries inadequate security arrangements

Parliament on Tuesday expressed concern about the inadequate security arrangements at the House and wondered why even the main gates were normally closed to members.

The Speaker, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey in reaction to member's concern tasked the leadership of the House to constitute a five-member committee to come out with suitable security arrangements for the House and its environs.

The Members were expressing their support to a statement made by Ms Akua Sena Dansua, NDC-North Dayi on the shootout in the Indian Parliament and the need for enhanced security in Ghana's Parliament.

Ms Dansua recounted the shootout in the Indian Parliament last year in which 12 people including six policemen were killed and 30 others sustained injuries and expressed the condolence of members to the bereaved families of the colleagues.

She said "the attack is a wake-up call for us to take pre-emptive measures to safeguard life and property in our Parliament". Ms Dansua said at present security arrangements in the House were nothing to write about since the parking lots were not clearly demarcated and visitors' parked at unauthorised places.

There are two main entrances to the House, however, the Conference Centre end is permanently locked and in case of emergency, rescue and evacuation works would be greatly hampered, she added.

Ms Dansua said another area of concern was that strangers compete with Members for the use of restricted areas such as the foyer and the lobbies while other people also come not to transact any official business but merely to loiter around and to take advantage of the amenities such as washrooms, telephones and also to sleep.

She said what was more frightening was the fact that orderlies of Ministers and political appointees enter the House with weapons and live ammunition.

Mr Adjetey agreed with the concerns of the members and said the chamber was poorly constructed with few exit points and asked that there was the need for the leadership to look into the matter. He wondered why members could not enter Parliament through the main gates but had to use the back doors and urged the leadership to rectify the situation.

Papa Owusu-Ankoma, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader, said members were free to express their concerns but certain issues should be made an in-house matter so as not draw up wrong signals.

He said the Leadership of the House had already taken up the issue with the Marshall's Office and a report on security arrangements was expected soon while a sub-committee had been tasked to review the security at the House.

Papa Owusu-Ankoma said members would soon be briefed on security arrangements and for them to decide whether to have a Parliamentary Police as is done in other Parliaments.

Mr J. H. Mensah, Senior Minister and Chairman of the Government Economic Team, expressed concern about the laxity of the security arrangements at the House and wondered why the main gates were closed as soon as the President moved to the Castle.

Alhaji Amadu Ali, NDC- Atebubu South, said security was lax especially outside the main Parliament building since most members have lost precious items through thefts and called on the security to be more vigilant.

Mr M.A. Seidu, NDC- Wa Central, said security was generally taken for granted because Ghana was a peace loving country but said there was the need to ensure that the undesirable and people with questionable character were not allowed into Parliament.

Mr Kosi Kedem, NDC- Hohoe South said since 1993 Parliament had lived dangerously without adequate security and cautioned that measures must be taken before people took the law out their hands to strike at members. He suggested that visitors should be thoroughly screened and given tags to be easily identified.

Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, Minister of Foreign Affairs, asked the Parliamentary Service Board and the Leadership to think of creating suitable and protected reception avenues for the comfort of both members and their visitors.

Mr Eugene Atta Agyepong, NPP-Abetifi, said even though the foyer was meant for the use of members there was no control there while most of the facilities at the House were open to outsiders.

He said there were no fire exit points in the chamber of the House adding that in the case of an accident the old would have to struggle with the young ones in stampede to escape to safety.

Mr Victor Gbeho, Ind. - Anlo, suggested that a special committee should be set up to assess the security situation in Parliament while seeking professional advice on how to handle the security situation.

Mr Isaac George Amoo, NPP- Ayawaso West-Wuogon, said there was very little support and attention given Parliament in terms of security and wondered why immediately the President and his Vice left the State House the whole security was withdrawn.

He said parliamentarians deserved equal protection as the executive or judiciary such as personal bodyguards and at their residence.