The Minority in Parliament, led by its leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, has served notice to file a motion to investigate the recruitment of some names allegedly presented by the NDC members of Parliament into the security services since 2017.
According to the minority leader, the investigation is meant to protect the security and integrity of the industrious security forces.
The minority’s comment comes in the wake of the ongoing recruitment brouhaha between the minority and the minister of Interior where the minority alleges that the interior ministry has allocated 30 slots for NPP parliamentary candidates.
In a rebuttal, the interior minister who denied the allegations on Neat FM on Tuesday, May 21, stated that, “I can say on authority that the ministry has not allocated any slot for any NPP parliamentary candidate. Recruitments have not been opened yet. Even so Ato Forson has been a deputy minister of finance before so he should know better when it has got to do with processes of recruitment. What they seek to do is to bring confusion into the NPP. I challenge him that, if he is able to name the thirty slots, then I will name the NDC MPs who have also presented names of their people to be recruited into the security forces.”
But in a statement reacting to him, Dr Ato Forson said, “I can assure you that we will bring a motion to Parliament to demand an inquiry into the recruitment into security services since 2017.
“The integrity of our security services and the trust of the Ghanaian people in our institutions depend on our collective commitment to transparency and justice.”
Excerpts of the press release spearheaded by the Minority leader read, “I find the recent statements by the Interior Minister, Henry Quartey, both alarming and baseless. His insinuation that members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have participated in improper recruitment practices without providing any evidence is a clear attempt to divert attention from the substantive issues at hand.
“The Minister’s remarks, made during an interview with Neat FM on May 21, 2024, and reproduced in the article below, come off as a hollow threat intended to intimidate and silence legitimate criticism from the Minority Caucus.
“Our concern has been and remains the transparency and fairness in the recruitment process into our country’s security services. Specifically, we highlighted credible information suggesting that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is manipulating recruitment processes to favor its parliamentary candidates with 30 slots each. This allegation is serious and deserves a substantive response, not deflection.
“I challenge the Interior Minister to name the individuals he claims were brought forward by NDC MPs for recruitment. Let us move away from rhetoric and towards accountability. If the Minister cannot provide these names, then his statements must be seen for what they are: an attempt to distract from the substantive concerns we have raised.”
He concluded by saying, “Mr. Minister, I can assure you that we will bring a motion to Parliament to demand an inquiry into the recruitment into security services since 2017.
“The integrity of our security services and the trust of the Ghanaian people in our institutions depend on our collective commitment to transparency and justice.”
Source: peacefmonline.com
