MPs condemn alleged military invasion on Garu and Tempane

The Members of Parliament (MPs) for the seats of Garu and Tempane have expressed their extreme disapproval of the reported military attack on certain people of Garu, which is located in the Upper East Region.

The residents of the town were allegedly attacked by Ghanaian Armed Forces members on October 29 during an early-morning operation. Rumors circulating in the area claim that this military action was seen as a reprisal for an earlier attack on National Security agents on October 24.

The two constituencies’ MPs, Albert Alalzuuga Akuka and Lydia Akanvariba Adakudugu, strongly denounced the alleged military actions in a joint press release. To make sure those in charge are held accountable for their actions, they have demanded a thorough investigation into the situation.

In a statement, the Ministry of National Security, however, refuted these accusations of an assault and made it clear that the military’s operations in Garu were a cooperative effort to seize weapons used by the people who were behind the earlier attack on National Security officers.

“The irate youth, subsequently, pursued the officers, encircled the police station, and fired multiple shots at same with the intention of killing the officers,” portions of the statement read.

The statement further stated that the National Security officers were able to safely evacuate the Garu Police Station thanks to the prompt intervention of the Ghanaian Armed Forces.

“The Ministry of National Security deems the attack on the security personnel at a police station highly unacceptable, and strongly condemns acts aimed at intimidating and harming officials of State Security and Intelligence Agencies, and impeding them from effectively executing their mandate to safeguard the peace and stability of Ghana”.

“The Ministry owes it a duty to protect personnel of State Security and Intelligence Agencies who have sworn an oath to, at all times, defend the people and the territorial integrity of Ghana against all forms of threats”.

The two MPs have issued a warning, stating that these kinds of things have the capacity to worsen the current Bawku dispute. They have therefore called for a number of things, including the full military departure from the region and the arrest of the offenders, followed by the proper legal proceedings.

“We are deeply disturbed by these reports, especially considering the volatile nature of the area vis-a-vis the Bawku Conflict (Note that Garu and Tempane are part of the Bawku Traditional Area), and we are therefore actively seeking more information about the situation”.

“We stand with our constituents who have been affected and demand a thorough investigation into the matter to ensure that those responsible are held accountable for their actions” they indicated.

“Our priority is the safety and well-being of our constituents, and we are committed to providing support to those who have been impacted by this incident. We are working closely with relevant authorities and organisations to ensure that justice is served and that such incidents are prevented in the future” the statement added.

Read the full statement below:

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com