Ayawaso violence: IGP, National Security Minister must resign – Nana Ato Dadzie demands

Former Chief of Staff, Nana Ato Dadzie has reacted to the assault recorded at last Thursday’s by-election at the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.

Nana Ato Dadzie, in a brief press statement, is calling on the National Security Minister, Bryan Acheampong and the Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Appeatu to immediately vacate their posts to save President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo further embarrassment.

“The Minister of State for National Security, Hon. Bryan Acheampong, on the basis of his admitted violation of Act 652, and his direction of the assaults during the by-election under that guise, must immediately resign his Office. He must cause the President no further embarrassment by waiting for the demand of his resignation to do so,” the former Senior U.N. Consultant on Political Transition stated.

He accused the IGP of “entertaining the violation and abuse of his command by the intrusion of an unconstitutional paramilitary force” adding that “the transportation of the offending persons in official vehicles of the Ghana Police Service, and their display of branded gear of the same, reaffirms this demand. The same must be said of the sad spectacle of the helplessness and non-intervention of senior police officers at the scene.”

The former Chief of Staff, is also demanding the disbandment of the “National Security” paramilitary forces with immediate effect as “the unconstitutionality of the paramilitary force in question is beyond debate, and does not require any pronouncement of the Supreme Court of Ghana to affirm the same”.

Read full statement below

NANA ATO DADZIE, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF, SPEAKS ON BY-ELECTION AT AYAWASO WEST WUOGON

Based on the public facts of the assaults at Ayawaso West Wuogon during the by-election on January31st, 2019, I wish to place on record the following views on the ongoing public discourse:

1. The calls for a judicial commission of inquiry, though well-intentioned, may only serve adiversionary cause.

2. The Minister of State for National Security, Hon. Bryan Acheampong, on the basis of his admitted violation of Act 652, and his direction of the assaults during the by-election under that guise, must immediately resign his Office. He must cause the President no further embarrassment by waiting for the demand of his resignation to do so.

3. The Inspector General of Police, as a matter of personal honour and principle, must resign his Office for entertaining the violation and abuse of his command by the intrusion of anunconstitutional paramilitary force. The transportation of the offending persons in officialvehicles of the Ghana Police Service, and their display of branded gear of the same, reaffirms thisdemand. The same must be said of the sad spectacle of the helplessness and non-intervention of senior police officers at the scene.

4. The unconstitutionality of the paramilitary force in question is beyond debate, and does not require any pronouncement of the Supreme Court of Ghana to affirm the same. It must be disbanded with immediate effect.

5. Holders of public office must remind themselves that immunity in Ghana today will not serve as protection from future prosecution at the International Criminal Court on the basis of humanrights abuses and crimes against humanity.

6. The President of the Republic of Ghana must urgently and unequivocally condemn the events of January 31st, 2019 in order to restore public confidence of the citizenry in the constitutional
order. I shall expand on these positions at a future time and in a more expansive format.

Nana Ato Dadzie,
Former Senior U.N. Consultant on Political Transition,
Former Chief of Staff at the Presidency.

By: Kekeli Kuatsenu/awakenewsonline.com