No big deal about Bagbin’s military protection withdrawal – Former NDC MP

While the minority in parliament reckons the impact of the withdrawal of military protection for the Speaker of Parliament, a former National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament, Kojo Adu Asare has downplayed its effect on the speaker’s security.

The minority in parliament in a statement described the withdrawal of Speaker Alban Bagbin‘s military attachment as ill-motivated while raising various concerns over the issue.

But speaking on Citi TV’s The Chamber, the former Member of Parliament for Adentan tagged the minority’s concerns as unnecessary.

According to him, it does not have to take military protection to guarantee the safety of the speaker.

“For me, much as it seems something like that is going on, I ask myself, what is the big deal if the military is withdrawn from the Speaker? How will it compromise security? If you have security in a manner of well-trained people to manage the office whether they are customs, fire, or immigration officers, if they are qualified to manage the reason for which they are deployed, then that is it,” Adu Asare stated.

In a letter addressed to the speaker of parliament, the Chief of Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces said the four military officers attached to his security did not follow procedure.

The four military officers; WO1 Jafaru Bunwura, WOII Apugiba Awine David, S/Sgt Agbley Prosper and Sgt. Bonney Prince, had been part of the speaker’s security since he assumed office in January 2021.

Meanwhile the majority in response to the minority’s concerns have condemned claims that the move by the Armed Forces is an attempt to gag the speaker and compromise his security.