Minority Members of Parliaments have callled on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the National Security Council to wake up from their slumber to put in place measures to stem the alarming incidents of contract killings and robberies in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSuch measures should include an assurance and concrete interventions\n from the President that will rid our country of the growing sense of \ninsecurity\u201d, they told journalists in Accra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ever since President Akufo-Addo became President, the security \nsituation in the country has become very porous to the extent that \nGhanaians are now living in perpetual fear, James Agalga, the Ranking \nMember on the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor instance, according to statistics from the Ghana Police Service,\n incidents of robbery cases recorded at the end of the year 2017 were \n1,772 as compared to 1,397 in 2016. This figure represents a 27% \nincrease. The situation did not improve in 2018 as robbery cases alone \nhit 968 in the 1st quarter\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Below is the statement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n MINORITY PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE ASSASINATION OF AHMED HUSSEIN-SUALE \nAND OTHER RELATED MATTERS AS READ IN PARLIAMENT TODAY THE 21ST OF \nJANUARY, 2019 BY JAMES AGALGA, THE HONOURABLE RANKING MEMBER ON THE \nDEFENCE AND INTERIOR COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENT<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Minority in Parliament is grateful to you for honouring our \ninvitation. May we afford this opportunity to wish you and the larger \nGhanaian populace a happy new year even though the year has not began on\n a happy note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the night of Wednesday 16th January, 2019, Ahmed Hussien-Suale, \nwho was driving in Madina close to his family house, was shot three \ntimes by two men on a motorbike who pulled alongside his car. He died \nalmost instantly. He was only 33 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ahmed was a member of Tiger Eye P.I., headed by the celebrated and \ninternationally acclaimed investigative journalist, Mr. Anas Aremeyaw \nAnas. Ahmed was a lead investigator in the latest work of Tiger Eye P.I \ntitled \u201cNumber 12 \u2013 When Greed and Corruption Become the Norm\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The documentary investigated corruption into African Football with \ngreater focus on Ghana. Ahmed was assigned to specifically investigate \nFormer Ghana Football Association President, Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The undercover report led to a lifetime ban from all football related\n activities imposed on Mr. Kwasi Nyantakyi by the Adjudicatory Chamber \nof the Independent Ethics Committee of FIFA. It also led to the \ndissolution of the GFA and the sanctioning of several football officials\n across the African continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ahmed was also part of the BBC team of journalists that investigated \nthe selling of human parts in Malawi \u2013 an investigation that nearly got \nAnas Aremeyaw Anas and his team killed as residents of a suburb in that \ncountry mistook them for ritual killers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Minority hereby condemns in the strongest possible terms the \nbarbaric slaying of the young and budding undercover journalist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our heartfelt condolences to his immediate family, his colleagues at \nTiger Eye P.I. and the entire media fraternity home and abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This cold blooded killing of Hussein-Suale is undoubtedly a catastrophic attack on press freedom and free expression in Ghana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nevertheless, we appeal to the media in Ghana not to be intimidated or cowed by the dastardly act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A befitting tribute to Ahmed Hussein-Suale would be a resolve to \nbecome even more courageous and selfless in exposing the ills of society\n and those who perpetrate them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ladies and Gentlemen, perhaps never in the history of Ghana have we \nattracted such an avalanche of negative international media coverage. \nIndisputably, our international image is currently in tatters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The global media from the BBC, CNN, VOA, RFI, Aljazeera, Africa News,\n Reuters, Associated Press, Washington Post, The Guardian, New York \nTimes and a whole host of others have all been unanimous in highlighting\n this brutal killing that has soiled Ghana\u2019s human rights record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the same vein, virtually every reputable local and international \norganization have ensured their voices have been loud and clear in \ncondemnation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of these are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n United Nations<\/p>\n\n\n\n FIFA<\/p>\n\n\n\n Transparency International<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ghana Integrity Initiative<\/p>\n\n\n\n International Press Institute<\/p>\n\n\n\n Global Witness<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ghana Journalist Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ASEPA<\/p>\n\n\n\n UNESCO<\/p>\n\n\n\n International Federation of Journalists- IFJ<\/p>\n\n\n\n Media Foundation for West Africa -MFWA<\/p>\n\n\n\n United Press for Development Network- UPDN<\/p>\n\n\n\n Press for Justice Coalition- PJC<\/p>\n\n\n\n West Africa Journalist Association- WAJA<\/p>\n\n\n\n Global Investigative Journalists Network- GIJN<\/p>\n\n\n\n Notable personalities such as former presidents J.J. Rawlings and J.D. Mahama have been decisive in their condemnation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\n\n\n\n We recall that upon the advertisement by Tiger Eye P.I. of the airing\n of the documentary entitled \u2013 \u201cNumber 12 \u2013 When Greed and Corruption \nBecome the Norm\u201d \u2013 the NPP Member of Parliament for Assin Central \nConstituency, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, commenced a tirade against Mr. \nAnas in particular and his Tiger Eye P.I. team members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr. Agyapong vowed to destroy Mr. Anas and his team if they dared to \nair the documentary. Mr. Anas called off Mr. Agyapong\u2019s bluff and \nproceeded to air the documentary in various locations in Ghana and on \nlocal and international media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr. Agyapong then went further and splashed pictures purporting to be\n the image of Anas on Net 2 TV (which he owns) and on the Internet and, \nalso invited the general public to cause harm to Mr. Anas for monetary \ncompensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Further, Mr. Agyapong splashed pictures known to be the image and \nlikeness of Ahmed in like manner and incited the public to visit \nviolence on Ahmed for monetary reward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed, Mr. Agyapong declared that he was prepared to pay any member \nof the public who would beat up Ahmed. Mr. Agyapong then proceeded to \nindicate the location of Ahmed\u2019s residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By section 20(1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act \n29), a person who, directly or indirectly, instigate, commands, counsel,\n procures, solicit, or in any manner purposely aids, facilitates, \nencourages, or promotes, whether by a personal act or presence or \notherwise, and a person who does an act for the purposes of aiding, \nfacilitating, encouraging, or promoting the commission of criminal \noffence by any other person, whether known or unknown, certain, or \nuncertain, commits the criminal offence of abetting that criminal \noffence, and of abetting the other person in respect of that criminal \noffence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is on this basis that we state that Mr. Agyapong appears to bear \nsome criminal responsibility for the death of Ahmed, and he also bears \ncriminal responsibility for instigating the public to beat up Ahmed and \ncause harm to Mr. Anas for monetary reward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr. Agyapong appears to have abetted several offences ranging from \nassault, causing harm, causing harm with the use of an offensive weapon,\n attempted murder and murder by instigating the public by reaching out \nto the public to visit the indicated violence on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And by the operation of our law, the offence of abetting a crime \nthrough instigating violence is committed even if no member of the \npublic lifts a finger in furtherance of the invitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr. Agyapong should have promptly been arrested and prosecuted for \nthe public instigation of violence on the two men. This was never done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sadly, in this case, Ahmed was shot dead in cold blood. One cannot \nhelp but point to Mr. Agyapong\u2019s express and televised instigation of \nthe public to visit violence on Ahmed for monetary reward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And in a public show of impunity and bravado the morning immediately \nfollowing Ahmed\u2019s assassination, Mr. Agyapong went from one radio \nstation to another daring law enforcement agencies to arrest him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He went to the extent of preposterously accusing Mr. Anas and the \nlawyer for Tiger Eye P.I. of complicity in Ahmed\u2019s death while raining \ninsults and invectives on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shockingly, Mr. Agyapong was allowed to fly out of the country, \nwithout being apprehended, on that very day on an Emirates flight headed\n to Dubai and possible onward journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The conduct of Mr. Agyapong could not have escaped the notice of law \nenforcement agencies and the government of President Akufo-Addo. And \ntill date, he has not been invited by the Police for questioning. We \nfind this situation deeply worrying and uncharacteristic of a democratic\n and civilised country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mr. Agyapong\u2019s conduct, and the obvious lack of action by the law \nenforcement agencies leads to only one conclusion \u2013 that Mr. Agyapong is\n above the laws of Ghana and he enjoys impunity free from prosecution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chillingly, the government of Nana Akufo-Addo is dead silent on the \nmatter and has watched on as Mr. Agyapong makes nonsense of the laws of \nGhana. This cannot be allowed to continue. Nana Addo must show \nleadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nevertheless, we call on the law enforcement agencies to promptly \ncause Mr. Agyapong\u2019s arrest and prosecute him for his actions. We also \ncall on Nana Akufo-Addo\u2019s government to roundly condemn the conduct of \nMr. Agyapong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Minority wishes to stress that it is most embarrassing that \nKennedy Agyapong has been allowed to run amok all these years with \nParliament and State institutions doing absolutely nothing about his \nmisconduct and reckless utterances only for a US Congressman, Henry C. \nHank Johnson, Jr. to demand action from the US State Department. We \nhereby declare our full support for any sanctions on Kennedy Agyapong as\n the US Government may deem fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That notwithstanding, we would like to serve notice that when the \nHouse resumes from recess, the Minority shall commence processes to drag\n Kennedy Agyapong before the Privileges Committee for sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Minority also expects investigations to be broadened to ensure \nthat all the perpetrators of this atrocious crime are brought to \njustice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We must caution Government against treating this matter like earlier \ninvestigations that have been shabbily handled with their outcomes \nremaining what is at best a mystery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ghanaians and the international community would not accept that. We \ninsist that the Akufo-Addo administration must sharply depart from the \ninglorious examples it set in the BOST Scandal, the Deputy Chiefs of \nStaff Allegations, the Australia Visa Scandal and ironically, the Anas \nNumber 12 investigations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n May Allah keep the soul of Mr. Ahmed Hussien-Suale and give peace to his family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, apart from the gruesome murder of \nAhmed Hussien-Suale, the Mankralo of Prampram, Nene Atsuare Benta III \nwas also killed by gunmen at Dodowa on Thursday, 13th December, 2018. \nBefore his murder, Nene Atsuare Benta III had received death threats \nfrom his assailants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On New Year\u2019s Eve, Joseph Migal Jinjer, a senior staff of the Ghana \nWater Company Limited whilst on his way to celebrate the New Year at \nhis hometown in the Bunkpurugu District was pulled out of his cross \ncountry vehicle and shot dead by unknown assailants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, the Marketing and Public Affairs Manager of the Ghana \nPorts and Habours Authority (GPHA) in charge of Tema Port, Josephine \nAsante was stabbed to death at her residence in Tema, Community 25 on \nSaturday the 12th of January, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A noticeable trend about all the murders alluded to is that the \nassailants never made away with or stole any property belonging to their\n victims. In the circumstance, reasonable minds ought to conclude that \nthe killings recorded in recent times are \u201cContract Killings\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ladies and gentlemen of the media, ever since President Akufo-Addo \nbecame President, the security situation in the country has become very \nporous to the extent that Ghanaians are now living in perpetual fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, according to statistics from the Ghana Police Service, \nincidents of robbery cases recorded at the end of the year 2017 were \n1,772 as compared to 1,397 in 2016. This figure represents a 27% \nincrease. The situation did not improve in 2018 as robbery cases alone \nhit 968 in the 1st quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given the difficult times we find ourselves as a country with regards\n to the management of our security, we call on the President as the \nCommander-In-Chief of our Armed Forces and the Chairman of the National \nSecurity Council to put in place measures to stem the alarming incidents\n of contract killings and robberies in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Such measures should include an assurance and concrete interventions \nfrom the President that will rid our country of the growing sense of \ninsecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n May God Bless and Help Ghana<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thank you for your attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n credit: africaneyereport.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"