MPs Confident Improved Security Will Curb Attacks

Some Members of Parliament are hopeful of increased security following the killing of their colleague Mfantseman MP, Ekow Hayford.

The Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, is to make an in-camera statement on enhanced security for MPs later on Tuesday.

A number of legislators who spoke to Citi News prior to the briefing said they expect the sector Minister to provide a detailed roadmap to protect the lives of MPs.

“We are looking at the state providing security for members. When a sitting MP loses his life it is more expensive. No life can ever be replaced. If a member loses his life, it becomes a cost to the state because the state has to organise a by-election. We are not asking for much but why must two out of the arms of government be provided with security while the others are not. Without Parliament, nothing in this country will go on,” the Akim Swedru MP, Kennedy Osei Nyarko stated.

For Joseph Kpemka, who is MP for Tempane, he expects “the Minister is supposed to outline to us practical measures that are going to be put in place.”

“What he is going to tell us must take out some level of fear as a result of events of in recent times. I can assure you that extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures and I wouldn’t be surprised that far-reaching measures are taken to ensure what happened at Mfantseman does not reoccur.”

Already, the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Ocquaye has led a Parliamentary delegation to commiserate with the family of the late MP for Mfantseman.

He said he has the assurances of the Interior Minister of a new framework to enhance security for legislators.

“Every work comes with its own risks and so there must be provision for security for such purposes. The work of the politician has the tendency to attract hatred and jealousy, thus the Interior Minister should come up with means to protect them,” he added.

He also took a swipe at critics who oppose the provision of state protection for legislators.

“And perhaps all those who are responsible for looking after the safety of Members of Parliament should also take note of this as far as those who sometimes criticise when protection is being demanded. It is noteworthy that the directives I gave as chairman of the board, the response from the police has coincided with this unfortunate incidence.”

Mr. Ekow Quansah Hayford was shot dead on Friday dawn by some unknown assailants on the Abeadze Dominase–Abeadze Duadzi–Mankessim road.

The MP and some executives of the NPP were returning from a campaign trip when the incident occurred.

---citinewsroom