Bryan Acheampong, a former Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, said that the violence that prevailed on January 31, 2019, the parliamentary election in Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency has turned into a waterloo.
“Mr. Chairman, Ayawaso has become my waterloo. This is something that, in the course of carrying out the duties of the state, someone is unjustly responsible for something that they are not aware of,” he said.
Bryan Acheampong, the Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, stated this on Monday when he appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments in Accra on Monday for verification.
“….I must add that the Ayawaso violence is destroying our democracy, we pray that it will not happen again. I sympathize with those who were injured that day.”
He said that the Government ensured that the injured were treated at the 37 Military Hospital and that the medical bills were paid by the state.
Bryan Acheampong said he has read the more than 500-page report of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Commission of Inquiry, and his name is not mentioned anywhere because he has done something wrong.
He said the report indicated that men from the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) were deployed under the command of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Samuel Azugu, under the authority of the Director of Operations of the National Security Secretariat and primarily. the responsibility of the Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security.
He admitted that when he was Minister of State for National Security, he was in charge of the SWAT Team.
“So, when they are found, they are sent to Ayawaso under the command of the police, and the Police are under the command of the Director of Operations, and the Director of Operations is under the command of the Minister of State. in the Ministry of National Security and the Minister of State is ordered by the Minister of National Security …… and so on, where does it end? Mr. Acheampong asked.
“And why would he end up at the door? It wasn’t part of the operation, it wasn’t part of the order of the day. No evidence was given of that.”
He said that the Commission did not recommend prosecution, because there were no supporting facts; said it, however, placed individual responsibility upon.
“The commission recommends that Mr. Bryan Acheampong be reprimanded for his primary responsibility as a Minister to authorize operations of such character on election day in built-up areas,” the candidate said.
“Mr Speaker, even though I am the Minister of State and authorized the operation, what I am trying to rebuke is not a crime”.
Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker and Head of Promise Commitment, asked the minister-designate if he authorized the operation.
Acheampong: “Mr. Chairman, I am not allowed to operate. And that’s why it’s easy for the (Government) White Paper to say that they reject the recommendation because it’s unfounded”.
After the unfortunate incident, the DPR has passed a law to address political vigilantism, he said, adding; “Today we don’t hear as much about vigilantism as we did in the past.”
He said the violence that characterized the election was unfortunate “but where the responsibility lies, I think it’s wrong.”
The nominee told the House that no one was killed in the violence.
Touching on agriculture and food production, the Ministers-designate said that Ghana is self-sufficient in food production and, with a nod, they will ensure that better seeds are available to farmers to increase productivity.
Source: GNA
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