A Member of Parliament’s Subsidiary Legislation Committee, OB Amoah believes Ghanaians should not see the provision of security for parliamentarians as a form preferential treatment.
His call follows the varied public reactions that have greeted the deployment of some 200 police officers to serve as personal security guards to legislators as a result of the recent killing of the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman in the Central Region.
But, OB Amoah who is also the MP for Akuapem South insists the move is a step in the right direction.
“It is only when you move to the Executive before they think about security. But when you are part of the legislature, your security as far as escort and detail are concerned, may be looked at differently. So if the Ministry of Interior thinks that, this should be addressed, I think it is in the right direction. The public should not see it as giving preferential treatment to certain persons. Because we are public persons and play a major role in our governance system.”
At least 800 police officers will be deployed to enhance the security of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the coming years under the Parliamentary Protection Unit.
This is according to Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery.
Mr. Dery indicated that the additional number of police personnel will provide security for MPs at their residence.
The officers will operate under the Parliamentary Protection Unit.
Under the new arrangement, every MP will be entitled to a police officer as a bodyguard.
However, the decision has been criticized by some Ghanaians, civil society groups and security analysts but the government says, the move is justified.
Police protection for MPs will compromise public security – Bureau of Public Safety
The Bureau of Public Safety says the decision to provide Members of Parliament with armed police guard will compromise the security of the masses.
The Bureau says the decision will shift the attention of the country’s security services from the masses to a few privileged Ghanaians.
Executive Director of the Bureau of Public Safety, Nana Yaw Akwada, in a Citi News interview, said Ghanaians have been short-changed by that decision.
“The commitment he has made actually reduces national security which aims at providing security for the general population on offer to politicians and men of power. By so doing he has left the security of the ordinary Ghanaian to his vulnerable state. This is appalling, offensive, indecent. This single decision sends a wrong signal to the many lives which have been lost in a similar fashion”, he said.
The post Police protection for MPs not preferential treatment – OB Amoah appeared first on Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana.
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