The Ashanti Region Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, has suggested that education should be given to the various security agencies in the country to collaborate with each other during certain circumstances.
Mr. Osei- Mensah said he disagreed with the suggestion that the military should be prevented from assisting the Ghana Police Service in handling civil protests.
“I’ve used this strategy all this while. This is the first time we have casualties, and I think we should continue with it. But there must be more education and communication between the various security agencies as to how to act under such circumstances.”
Mr. Osei-Mensah
He made this suggestion when he faced the tripartite committee set up to inquire the killings which took place in Ejura in the Ashanti Region.
Facing the committee, he also admitted to ordering the presence of the Military officers at the protest grounds as part of efforts to ensure peace and security.
According to the Minister, intelligence received by the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) forced him to deploy the military and police personnel to the town.
Mr. Osei-Mensah disclosed that the intel made available pointed to threats by the youth of Ejura to burn state and private properties after the burial of social activist, Mohammed Ibrahim, also known as Kaaka.
Deploying military in accordance with the law
The Minister also defended his decision to request military presence in Ejura, saying he did that in accordance with the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, Act 1030.
“I took this decision in line with the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, Act 1030, and specifically section 5 that establishes the Regional Security Council [REGSEC], and section 6 that gives the membership of the council, and also makes the regional minister chairman of REGSEC, and section 7 that gives the function of REGSEC which include maintenance of peace and security in the region.”
Mr. Osei-Mensah
Minister withholds informant’s details
When asked to provide details on the persons who provided the intel on the plan by the youth to burn the police station after Kaaka’s burial, he withheld the information from the committee.
Defending his decision to withhold the informant’s details, Mr. Osei-Mensah averred that the identity of the informant has to be protected, since his disclosure will prevent other persons from giving him vital information in the region.
The Minister insisted that nothing will make him disclose the identity of the person who gave that information.
“My lord chair, if I bring the person, it is going to make my management of security in this region difficult. It would mean that all I want to say is that, nobody should give me information or intelligence again.
“I have put all my numbers out there to the various radio stations that any time you have information, you can reach me on these numbers, and people voluntarily give me information and that is going to cease. I am afraid it will seriously affect my management of security in this region.”
Mr. Osei-Mensah
