Issah Fuseini, former Member of Parliament for Okaikwei North Constituency, has called for a more harmonious military-civilian relationship.
Sharing his views on some individuals who have been brutalized by some military personnel in Garu, he bemoaned the deteriorating relation, recounting many instances of such clashes.
Notwithstanding the cause of such clashes, Issah Fuseini urged that the relationship between the two has to be repaired.
“This recurring tension between the military and the civilians is something we have to look at and forestall. I pray that the security apparatus will improve its military-civilian relationship such that the entire populace is aware. I am sure they will cooperate rather than fight any attempt military operations are taking.”
Issah Fuseini
He however postulated the need for some of the operations of the military and national security to be carried out overtly.
“But I also understand that some of these things will have to be done overtly so the appropriate authorities should investigate this matter. But we need such anti or counterterrorism to forestall, and fight the threats, coming from the sahel region. So some of these things we rather need to cooperate rather than fight each other on these matters.”
Issah Fuseini
He further underscored that the story is still unfolding and recounted the reported sequence of the events that led to the brutality.
“This is still an evolving story. What transpired last Tuesday, a lot of us did not get to hear. Just like you have read a story from the National Security outfit. Counterterrorism officers had visited the community to gather some information, especially around that part of the country.
“We know the threat of terrorism, in the Sahelian region; to the security of the region and particularly to this country. So national security itself has come out with some very creative ways to be able to fight this before it gets to us. From what we are gathering, the youth of the area went attacking the National Security operatives even when they had the pride to identify themselves as people coming from the National Security outfit. They were chased to the police station and from what I gathered, they were not going to stop until the military intervened to be able to escort them out subsequently. Because of the nature of the area and things that happen in the area, the military had gone to make sure that the ammunition was confiscated to forestall any further use.”
Issah Fuseini
“I am still of the view that this is still evolving”, he stressed.
Government Counterterrorism Operations
Issah Fuseini highlighted the activities of the government in the Northern part to circumvent terrorism.
“You recollect last week the vice president was in the area to cut tape for certain developmental projects. This is all in an attempt to fight terrorism before it gets to our doorstep. So this time, Ghanaians should be quite awakened to some of these new and innovative ways to gather information.”
Issah Fuseini
In addition, he commended the members of parliament for the area for their, albeit, late involvement in the situation and appealed for a probe into the issues.
“Unfortunately my thinking is that on Tuesday when the other incident happened, they were quiet. They didn’t speak. We didn’t hear from them, but now we are hearing from them. It is good that they are waking up to what they have to do.
“If someone is found culpable, either the military or civilian, we deal with it so we can move on as a nation.”
Issah Fuseini
“I pray this incident is investigated [so that] we see the finality of it”, he concluded.
