The Minority in Parliament, led by Hon. Cassiel Ato Forson has held a press conference to address serious concerns regarding the recruitment practices into Ghana’s security services ahead of the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Speaking to the media, Mr Ato Forson highlighted what he described as “worrying developments on the security front,” accusing the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of packing the security agencies with party loyalists to influence the upcoming elections.
He recalled a similar press conference in 2019, where the then-NDC Minority, through Mr James Agalga, condemned the recruitment practices into the police service as fraudulent and nepotistic.
Ato Forson asserted that the recruitment process in 2018 and 2019 had been marred by partisan considerations, which saw the induction of NPP foot soldiers into the Ghana Police Service without following established procedures.
He noted that these recruitments were conducted secretly, bypassing the usual advertisements that ensure transparency and equal opportunity for all qualified Ghanaians.
“The NDC Minority can authoritatively state that the NPP government again has illegally and fraudulently given out 30 slots each to its parliamentary candidates for recruitment into the security services of our country,” said Ato Forson.
He argued that this move is a calculated attempt to compromise the integrity of the 2024 elections, as the loyalty of these recruits would be skewed towards the NPP.
Reflecting on the tragic events of the 2020 elections, where eight innocent Ghanaians were killed by individuals masked as security personnel, Mr Ato Forson stressed that the infiltration of the security services by NPP operatives contributed to these deaths.
He placed the responsibility for these deaths on President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Alhaji Bawumia, accusing them of undermining the professionalism of the Ghana Police Service for partisan gain.
In a strong message to the ruling party, Mr Ato Forson vowed that the Minority would resist any attempts to manipulate the 2024 elections.
He warned that NDC members, supporters, and sympathizers would defend themselves against unlawful attacks by these “NPP thugs in uniforms” and would hold them accountable for any violations.
The Minority Leader concluded by demanding an immediate halt to the current recruitment practices.
He called for transparent advertisements for all security service positions, ensuring that recruits are selected based on merit rather than political affiliation.
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