The Minority in Parliament has accused National Security operatives of stealing money and pieces of jewellery during a raid on the home of former Bank of Ghana (BoG) Governor, Dr Ernest Addison.

According to the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the operatives took GH₵10,000 and jewellery belonging to Dr Addison’s wife.

Speaking at a press briefing in Parliament on Thursday, March 20, the Minority Leader condemned what he described as lawless conduct by state security forces, accusing them of targeting former government officials.

“This morning, the Minority caucus is here to express its concerns about the growing lawless conduct of our National Security operatives, who have been unleashed on opponents, particularly the former NPP appointees of President Akufo-Addo. The aim is to intimidate and frustrate them,” he stated.

He recalled a similar raid on former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s home, led by one Richard Djakpa, whom he described as an NDC activist and self-proclaimed director of operations at the National Security.

The Minority leader revealed that at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Richard Djakpa once again led a team of armed men to Dr Addison’s residence at Roman Ridge in Accra, claiming to have a warrant to search the premises.

“According to Jakpa, he had a warrant to search for a vault in which he believed Dr Addison had stored cash. They overpowered the security and forced their way in. This Rambo-style approach must stop,” he said.

He described the incident as unprecedented, stating that it was the first time in Ghana’s history that a central bank governor had been subjected to such treatment.

“At the end of their raid, they found nothing. Unfortunately, some GH₵10,000 that was on the governor’s bed was missing. Some of these hungry foot soldiers, parading as National Security operatives, took the opportunity to steal. The governor’s wife’s earrings and necklaces were also not found, in other words, they stole them,” he alleged.

The Minority leader also revealed that three official vehicles were seized during the operation. However, Dr Addison was later informed that the vehicles had been parked elsewhere and that his drivers could retrieve them at 4:30 p.m. following a call from Richard Djakpa.

He warned that such actions could damage Ghana’s democratic image and drive away investors.

“These actions undermine democracy and weaken investor confidence. If people investing in your country see these things happening to appointees, it will lead to capital flight. Even Ghanaians will not feel safe, they will withdraw from the financial sector and stop keeping their money in the country,” he cautioned.

The Minority called on the government to put an end to what they described as acts of intimidation and terror.

“We are a nation of laws. Even legitimate investigations must be done in accordance with the law. We are not against accountability, but we are against human rights abuses, lawless conduct, and security excesses. These acts belong to the past and have no place in our democracy,” he said.

He specifically called on President Mahama to leave a better legacy by bringing an end to this conduct.

SOURCE: FELIX OWUSU ANSAH

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In a swift turn of events, Commissioner of Police (COP) Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah has been reassigned to the Interior Ministry as a Technical Adviser to the Minister of the Interior, just hours after being named as the Director-General of Research & Planning at the Ghana Police Service.

The reassignment was confirmed in a letter from the Presidency, which outlined her new role and responsibilities.

“In line with this directive, you are hereby reassigned from your current position to the Ministry of the Interior, where you will serve as the Technical Advisor to the Honorable Minister. This reassignment takes immediate effect, and you are expected to liaise with the relevant authorities to ensure a smooth transition into your new role,” the letter signed by Callistus Mahama, Secretary to the President stated.

“His Excellency the President recognizes and deeply appreciates your unwavering dedication, professionalism, and invaluable contributions to the nation. It is his firm belief that your expertise and commitment will continue to serve the country effectively in your new capacity”.The latest shake-up comes as part of a broader restructuring within the Ghana Police Service, led by Inspector-General of Police (IGP) COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, who recently announced several reassignments aimed at improving leadership and operational efficiency in the Police Management Board (POMAB).

Before this reassignment, COP Addo-Danquah recently returned to the Police Service after serving as the Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). During her tenure at EOCO, she led efforts to combat financial crimes and corruption.

She also previously held the position of Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where she played a key role in several high-profile investigations.

In her new role at the Interior Ministry, COP Addo-Danquah will be expected to liaise with key stakeholders to support policy formulation and security strategies aimed at enhancing law enforcement operations in Ghana.

SOURCE: OMENEDADEWAA NANA OWUSU ANSAH

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The National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament (MP) for Daffiame-Bussie-Issa, Dr Sebastian N. Sandaare, has appealed to President John Mahama to, as a matter of urgency, cause the immediate rehabilitation or reconstruction of the Wa-Bole-Techiman road to curb accidents, robbery and deaths along the stretch daily.

He said improving the condition of the major highway road would allow for easier movement of goods and services to markets and facilitate trade to boost economic growth in the Upper West and Savannah regions

“It will reduce vehicle wear and tear, leading to lower transportation costs for passengers, businesses and consumers while enabling faster delivery times and improved supply chains, enhancing overall productivity and by extension, attracting more businesses and investments to a region,” he said.

Statement

In a statement he read on the floor of Parliament to draw the House’s attention to the deplorable nature of the Wa-Bole-Techiman road, Dr Sandaare was optimistic that enhancing the state of the road would also help to create jobs in those regions for the unemployed youth.“It will further boost tourism and reduce the negative impact cited supra such as accidents, robbery and deaths along the road,” he said.

Dr Sandaare said one such important road network with enormous economic and social benefits to the people in the Upper West and Savannah regions and Ghana at large was the Wa-Bole-Techiman Road.

He said the road was an N12 trans-ECOWAS road that linked the Upper West and Savannah regions to the southern part of Ghana and neighbouring Burkina Faso.

He, however, said it was sad the road was very deplorable beyond description to the state that the social and economic benefits of a good road network were lost on the people. 

Abandoned route

Dr Sandaare explained that a journey which would naturally take less than 12 hours from Accra to Wa took an average of 18 hours or more now.

“Worse was that transport owners including the State Transport Company had started avoiding and even abandoning the road to the detriment of communities along that stretch,” he said.

“Mr Speaker, even though the importance of keeping this road in good shape is not lost on government, the neglect of the road for close to a decade without maintenance has left the entire road network in its present deplorable state.”

“Even though chiefs, commuters, drivers and MPs from the two regions from both sides of the political divide have made several appeals to past governments to fix the road, the situation has not changed as the condition of the road continues to deteriorate each passing day,” he said.

He pointed out that although the immediate past regime announced the award of a portion of the road to a contractor before it exited power, the contractor was yet to commence work on site.

“Also, the bad road network has a significant toll on the health of commuters and settlers.

The long sitting hours pose severe health challenges to the passengers. Respiratory diseases are equally rising among communities along the road due to the daily inhalation of dust,” he said. 

He further explained that patient transport was equally negatively impacted with reports of deterioration of medical conditions of patients who were referred to the Upper West Regional Hospital.