Garu MP appeals to Parliament to investigate military brutalities

Mr Albert Alalzuuga Akuka, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Garu, has appealed to Parliament to investigate the alleged military brutalities meted out to the constituents of Garu and Tempane on Sunday, October 29.

In a statement on the floor of the House, Mr Akuka said the recent military brutalities allegedly meted out to some innocent residents of Garu town and Bugre in the Garu and Tempane Constituencies respectively in the wee hours of Sunday, 29th October 2023.

“Mr Speaker, I am deeply concerned about how the military officers reportedly brutalised and maimed our residents,” he said.

“It is important to mention that this incident by the Military adds to a long list of barbaric and inhumane action carried out by our men in uniform on innocent civilians whom they ought to be protecting as a matter of responsibility.”

He said reports by residents during his checks with them to ascertain what really happened on the grounds suggest allegedly that their monies and other valuable items were taken away by the officers in the swoop.

Mr Akuka said as the MP for Garu, all his efforts to get answers regarding the number of residents picked up by the Military Officers during the alleged swoop, their whereabouts, and the crime for which they were picked up had yielded no results two days after the alleged brutalities were visited on upon them.

“This is an unacceptable violation of our citizens’ rights, and as a matter of urgency, I am strongly calling and demanding for an immediate government intervention to address this issue and also for Parliament to open a probe into this matter, and bring a comprehensive resolution to it,” he said.

“I call on the authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure that those responsible are held accountable”.

Mr Akuka said the residents of Garu and Tempane deserve safety and protection, and this alleged action by the Military officers must be condemned in the strongest terms without any room for tolerance and reasonableness of any form of brutalities within Garu and Tempane constituencies and indeed, any other constituency.

He said the House had an opportunity to investigate and make recommendations when similar Military brutalities were visited on the people of Wa and Ashaiman for reasons that he had condemned in strong terms.

He said in both the Wa and Ashaiman, the perpetrators of the crimes were yet to be dealt with by the law enforcement bodies meanwhile, innocent civilians had suffered brutalities which had left some with life-threatening circumstances and mental health disorders.

He said the brutalities in Garu and Tempane must be the last time the people of Ghana would have to undergo such an ordeal in the hands of men and women who had sworn fidelity to the Constitution to protect and serve them; adding that “intelligence failure cannot be swapped with visiting brutalities on innocent civilians”.

He urged residents of Garu and Tempane to remain calm and peaceful in these excruciatingly painful moments while the respective institutions attend to the calls and demands that he was making.

Mr Akuka said it was imperative that total transparency, accountability, and open communication were applied in addressing this issue.

Other contributors to the statement, who supported the call for a probe into the Military Brutalities in Garu and Tempane Constituencies include Madam Laadi Ayii Ayamba, MP for Pusiga; Mr Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bakwu Central and Mr Cletus Apul Avoka, MP for Zebilla.

The rest are Mr James Agalga, MP for Bulsa North; Mr Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, MP for Tema West and Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, MP for Banda.

Both Mr Ayariga and Mr Avoka called for the release of the nine persons who were arrested by the Military and airlifted to Accra.

Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the MP for Efutu and Deputy Majority Leader, in his contributions, urged the Speaker to invite the Minister for National Security to brief the Defence and Interior Committee of the House on the situation.

However, Mr Andrew Asiamah Amoako, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, in his ruling directed that the Minister for National Security appear before the House on Thursday, November 9, to brief it concerning the incidents that occurred at Garu and Tempane.

He said after the Minister’s briefing, if there was still the need for the setting up of a committee to investigate the matter, the House would do so.

GNA