We were ready to provide security for MPs visiting Bawku - Military denies Sam George’s allegations

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has refuted allegations made by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo-Prampram Constituency, Sam Nartey George, claiming its personnel refused to offer protection to a Parliamentary Select Committee to Bawku.

Sam George is quoted to have said in an interview with TV3 that the continuous violence and killings in Bawku show that the intelligence apparatus of the military has completely failed.

He added that Bawku has become so dangerous that the Parliamentary Committee that was travelling to Bawku to engage the feuding factions were left stranded in Tamale and forced to travel back to Accra because the Ghana Army was afraid of going into the town with them.

Responding to Sam George's allegations, Naval Captain Michael Addo Larbi, Director of Public Relations for the GAF, stated that the allegations are false and that the public should disregard them.

Speaking in an interview with TV3’s Midday News on March 05, 2023, Naval Captain Larbi stated that although the trip of the aforementioned MPs was subsequently canceled, which the military had no control over, they were always prepared to protect the lawmakers.

“It is not true that the military wasn’t there to provide the necessary escort or protection for the committee.

“As you go to any conflict-prone area the first thing you get is a security brief of the situation from the ground. That was given to the committee in Tamale.

“So, the decision for the committee not to proceed to Bawku was not because the military wasn’t there to provide them with the necessary security, they were deployed, they were ready," 3news.com quoted Naval Captain to have said in the interview.

He added, “I believe the Bawku Municipal Security Council MUSEC and the Upper East Regional Security Council had all given indications that they were prepared to receive the committee but the trip was canceled at the last minute so is not the situation that the military wasn’t in the position to provide them with the necessary security and escort to Bawku, they were ready for that.”

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