#FixTheCountry convener, Oliver Mawusi Barker-Vormawor has implored President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to show courage by acting against the brutalities meted out to some residents of Ashaiman by the Ghana Armed Forces.
Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight programme on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, the private legal practitioner who is now representing some of the victims added that conscious members of the Army must lead a campaign for reforms in the state security agency.
“Particularly, we are calling on civilised and moderate elements of the military to lead the conversation for reforms within the Ghana Armed Forces themselves. Because this is about restoring the dignity and respect of the Ghana Armed Forces which now is in tatters.
“For that conversation to be had, I think that the military itself needs to take the role in leading that conversation and ensuring that reform happens and the Commander-in-Chief also wakes up and remembers at least that he is an individual who has been elected, that he wakes up and realise that he has a mandate of the entire population to act in difficult times, the cowardice he is showing is not befitting of the role that he occupies,” he stated.
Trooper Imoro Awudu was murdered by suspected thieves on Saturday, March 4, 2023, in the neighbourhoods of Ashaiman where he had left a military training course at 37 to visit his family.
His death led to a sanctioned “intelligence-led” operation by the Ghana Armed Forces on Tuesday where several residents reported of being brutalised by the soldiers.
184 residents were arrested during the operation in which some of the military brutalities were captured on camera.
Speaking on the TV3 program, the #FixTheCountry convener demanded the immediate resignation of the entire high command of the Ghana Armed Forces for the assaults.
“It is important that in times of grave brutalities like these, we make our laws speak loud and clear that the national soul of this country is restored and that can happen in many ways.
“One of them is prosecuting the individuals involved. But also, we are demanding the resignation of the entire military high command. “Because they’ve misconducted themselves and showed themselves to be incompetent to lead the military in a time of democracy. That the president is competent to demand them to place the resignation before his desk.
“It is not the only country that this has happened. So we are demanding that if they see themselves, and in fact they have misconducted themselves, that shows that they do not have what it takes, whether it is credibility, the moral integrity to be able to lead the Ghana Armed Forces in times of a democracy, that they step aside,” he demanded.
Source: ghanaweb.com
