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The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has suggested that providing uniforms to officers of the National Security might help reduce civilian attacks on them. This recommendation comes in the wake of a recent incident where the military allegedly assaulted residents of Garu-Tempane in response to an attack on National Security operatives by a vigilante group in Garu.
While condemning the officers’ actions, Mahama Ayariga emphasized the need for the Ministry to establish specific protocols when deploying its officers to certain areas. He stated that, “If any member of the security agencies is moving into that zone, there must be protocols; you should be in your uniform so that the civilians from afar will be able to identify you as a soldier, policeman, immigration man, fire officer.”
In the incident in question, the officers were not wearing uniforms and were driving an unnumbered Landcruiser, making it difficult for civilians to identify them as security personnel. Mahama Ayariga argued that such confusion could be avoided through proper attire.
The assault on Garu residents has received widespread condemnation, with calls for an independent investigation into the matter. The Ghana Armed Forces have defended their actions, alleging that irate youth in the area initiated the attack on national security operatives, leading to the military’s intervention.
The National Security Ministry, in a statement, refuted these reports and clarified that the operation was aimed at seizing weapons used in a previous attack by a vigilante group in Garu on October 24.
Cletus Avoka, a member of the Interior and Defense Committee of Parliament, has hinted that the committee will summon the Minister for National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah, to provide an account of the alleged brutality inflicted on residents of Garu by personnel from the Ghana Armed Forces. The incident has sparked a nationwide debate on the proper conduct of security personnel during operations.
