The Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Parliament has alleged that the government is illegally recruiting New Patriotic Party (NPP) foot soldiers into the various security services ahead of the 2024 general elections.
The NDC claimed that all 275 NPP Parliamentary Candidates have been offered 30 slots for recruitment into the various security services in a calculated attempt to compromise the December polls.
Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson who made the allegation on Monday during a press conference said any unauthorised actions by the recruits reffered to as NPP thugs in uniform, would be met with strong resistance from NDC supporters.
“It is unacceptable that the government continues to put cheap partisan considerations ahead of the overall peace, security and stability of our country in the run-up to the 2024 elections,” he stated.
Dr Ato Forson added that any strategy by the government to skew the 2024 elections in their favour would not succeed, emphasising that the NDC is prepared to counter such manoeuvres.
“We wish to remind President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Alhaji Bawumia that they will not have their way this time regardless of whatever manoeuvrings that they will roll out in the 2024 elections.
“We will resist these shenanigans with all our might. Our members, supporters and sympathisers will not just defend themselves against unlawful attacks by NPP thugs in uniforms, we shall hold these NPP hoodlums personally responsible for their unlawful violations of the laws of Ghana and the legitimate rights of our people.
“It is in the interest of the NPP footsoldiers to act lawfully or face the full consequences of their actions and the wrath of our supporters,” he stated.
Responding to the allegations, the Minister for the Interior, Henry Quartey in an interview with citi news dismissed the claims tha government is illegally enlisting members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) into the security services describing it as regrettable.
He disclosed that recruitment has not yet begun and, when it does, it will not be conducted covertly.
Mr Quartey explained that the government’s intention is to clear the backlog of recruits from previous years, which is why there has been no advertisement. However, he mentioned that the agencies will soon disclose the eligibility criteria for the recruits.
“It is rather unfortunate that MPs and of course a leader, Minority Leader and a former deputy minister of Interior could actually spew this falsehood into the public. MPs currently are about 137…it cannot be possible, it is not and it cannot be possible. I am rather disappointed in this approach…Yes, we are recruiting but it is not a secret recruitment. We haven’t even started. The agencies are going to send the eligibility criteria. I am sure by this week they will do that.”
“What we are saying rather is that look in the last couple of years people have gone to buy forms. And for some reasons, they could not gain admission into the security and intelligence agencies. So we thought it wise that we don’t have to advertise anymore for people to continuously pay monies because you have a certain number of people that per the clearance you have to recruit.
“But I want to say on authority and I want to say again on authority that giving 30 slots to MPs is false. It is not true. It has never happened before and I am surprised that they want to go on this tangent,” he stated.
Source: Citinewroom