Soldiers deployment: You have 24 hours to withdraw security personnel – Minority Volta MPs caucus to govt

Having stormed the Ketu South municipality in their numbers to show solidarity with residents after government dispatched military personnel to the area, the minority MPs caucus has called out government to retrace its steps.

Addressing the media at the NDC's weekly press briefing from the area, Chairman of the Minority Volta MPs caucus, Emmanuel Bedzrah, charged government to withdraw the military personnel deployed to the Ketu South.

“The fire has been laid, and we the Voltarians are ready. We are not cowards and I want to repeat that, we are not cowards,” he chimed.

“We don’t fear people, we only respect people and therefore, whoever deployed the military personnel to our borders should call them back immediately. We are giving them up to the end of tomorrow, Tuesday, the military personnel must be called back,” he added.

According to the Caucus, the deployment is an indication of attempts to intimidate residents of the Volta Region in the upcoming voters’ registration exercise.

Government deployed some military personnel to some parts of the country to curb infiltration of foreigners into the country amidst the surging number of cases of the Coronavirus.

Several members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), including flagbearer and former President Mahama, have condemned the action by government.



“Reports have filtered in of a massive deployment of Military and other security personnel in the Volta, Oti, Upper East, and Upper West Regions. The unexplained security deployments to these border regions have clearly been timed to coincide with the commencement of the Voter Registration exercise across the country.”

“These deployments have begun to create panic and anxiety among residents of the various regions who have been left in no doubt that it has been done as part of a larger strategy to intimidate them into abstaining from the registration exercise starting next Tuesday.”

Former President Rawlings has also noted that the action by government has created ‘suspicion’ adding that the timing creates some animosity.

“The presence of the military and other security agencies in some parts of the Volta and Oti Regions is generating animosity especially amongst innocent citizens whose basic way of life is being disrupted.

“The deployment along the borders at peacetime especially at this particular point in time has created so much suspicion and will call for a lot of intelligent flexibility and diligence.”



“Ahead of the voter registration exercise and the December elections, it is important that we demonstrate a sense of fairness and justice to all individuals and groups of people whilst maintaining the integrity and the sanctity of the process,” parts of a statement released by his office read.