Notes From Ghana

AFAG Attacks NDC For Country’s ‘Insecurity’

By Nathaniel Y.Yankson

THE ALLIANCE for Accountable Governance (AFAG) says the current security situation in the country does not reflect the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) manifesto promises, which indicated that no Ghanaian shall live in fear of armed robbers. The opposite, according to AFAG, is what “we are witnessing.”

It said “the recent spate of armed robberies and other social crimes is alarming and must be stopped. Today, Ghanaians cannot live without fear of been attacked or abused.”

At a press conference in Accra yesterday, a leading member of the group, James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr noted that the bizarre incidents of social vices being visited on citizens in the cities, towns and highways was a serious national security threat.

Thus, “no security manager should sit idle or throw the hand in despair. This, we think, the National Security Chairman and Coordinator must be apt in dealing with the decadence,” he added.

James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr

AFAG’s outburst on the supposed insecurity in the country, Mr. Bomfeh argued, was based on the conflicting reports given by the Ghana Police Administration and the entrenched position by the government that the alleged mass rape and looting incident, which occurred a fortnight ago on a Tamale-bound Yutong bus was a hoax.

It was purported that the bus was invaded by some suspected armed robbers, near Kintampo last Monday and after robbing the passengers of their valuables, the armed robbers ordered their male victims to forcibly have sexual intercourse with their female counterparts in their presence.

But information later gathered proved otherwise, suggesting that the incident rather occurred at Kubease, near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region.

It was alleged also that, a man among the passengers, was made to have sex with his 14-year-old daughter whom he was taking to school as she had gained admission to the Tamale Senior High School in the Northern region.

AFAG is also contending that the manner in which the police are handling the case is unacceptable where one of the passengers, Amina Mohammed, who claimed she witnessed the alleged mass rape incident was invited and detained by the police over the weekend.

It condemned the detention of Amina beyond the normal 48-hour period and called for her immediate release since she had not been charged for any offence yet.

The Chronicle later confirmed with the Police Public Affairs Director, Superintendent Samuel Kwesi Ofori and he said Amina was charged yesterday with publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm.

Amina and some others maintained that they were indeed robbed of their valuables and subsequently forced by the armed robbers to have sex among themselves but the police and the driver of the Yutong bus, also narrated that nothing of that sought happened.

As a result of this incident the President, John Evans Atta Mills summoned his security chiefs on Friday to the Castle, to urgently dilate on issues bordering on the reported mass bus rape saga and the security situation in the country in general.

On behalf of the group, Mr. Bomfeh expressed disbelief that the crime statistics in the country, issued by the police administration recently was nothing to write home about because armed robbery cases are still on the rise.

“Instead of confronting the problem of insecurity head-on, we are being told to disbelieve the possible occurrence of this incident and treat it with contempt. The raped is under attack while the rapist is on the loose. What height of insensitivity,” the group pointed out.

AFAG, however, challenged the security services to appreciate also the public’s efforts to help them get rid of such criminals in society.

In addition, Mr. Bomfeh appealed to the general public to partner the security agencies to discharge their duties and fight crime.

“And the public should not be duplicitous in providing this support. We cannot protect the criminal in our midst but expect the police to protect us from the criminal from outside. We should be ready to expose them,” he said.