Castle ‘militia’ can’t pass for a school cadet - National Security fires back

The National Security Council (NSC) has put up a spirited defence over an allegation that militia gangs were being trained at the Osu Castle, the former seat of government.

An investigative journalist, Manesseh Azure, had reported that a group of young men (De-Eye), who he described as ‘militia’, were being trained at no other place than a security zone like the Castle Gardens in Accra.

Immediately the documentary was aired, the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, issued a statement arguing that “the 20-minute documentary does not show any evidence of such a militia, or a vigilante group training or operating at a security zone. Rather, it shows a group of young men and women dressed up in white shirts and black suits converging on the Christiansburg Castle in Osu in the belief that jobs will be found for them.”

The Ghana Armed Forces, which reportedly mobilised men to swoop on the alleged militia group at Castle, have also come out to deny the story.

A statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Col Aggrey Quarshie, said no said such action had been taken by the army.

Using his Facebook wall to react to the story, the Minister of State in charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong, also said: “We did all the works and assured ourselves that De Eye group was not a vigilante group (truest form and interpretation), militia or criminal organisation. Importantly, we did not classify or see their operation as a threat to the state and/or government.

“Indeed, we are privy to every facet of their operations, which primarily involves; soliciting young unemployed persons, Writing to companies and agencies for job openings; seeking to place their young unemployed clients into employment opportunities; charging them a fee for their services.

“We are also aware that Nana Wireko, alias Choman, started his company from his former secretariat at the castle, where we warned him on two occasions and arrested him, threw him out of the office and shut it down in October on our third encounter with him. It has not come to our notice that he’d had access to the office since.

“Their new office is located at Dzorwulu. We are also aware that due to their extensive marketing efforts on TV, radio, website and their placement success rate, a lot of unsuspecting unemployed continue to visit the Castle in search of De Eye group. At NO time did we see these people conducting any training regime that we will consider a security threat.

“We were aware of their end of year party at the Castle Gardens. But No one, nobody, seeing these innocent job seeking young men and women can conclude that they are a vigilante group or militia. In fact, they don’t pass for a school cadet.

“Those responsible for managing the castle lawn must answer why they allowed these people on their space. Since it is no longer a security installation, our interest ended when we determined the purpose of [the] gathering and satisfied ourselves extensively that they pose no threats. You can be sure that we have the men, masked and unmasked, to suppress any threat to our peace and security, if, indeed, there is one.”

The Minority in Parliament would, however, not buy into any of these explanations by government officials.

At a hurriedly arranged news conference in Accra, they insisted that President Akufo-Addo must resign over the issue.

“The President has lost every moral authority to continue to occupy that high office after having been caught ‘In flagrante delicto.”

They want the Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu, also to be fired and investigations opened into the issue.

“In conclusion, the Minority wishes to serve notice that if all our demands are not met in the shortest possible time, we shall avail ourselves to other constitutional avenues to achieve our noble objectives in the national interest,” they said.

After the Minority news conference, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) issued a statement to rubbish the claim, indicating that the party had no connection to the group.

“Whilst any effort at helping rid the country of politically-related violence is welcome, and is to be commended, the NPP wishes to state unequivocally for the records that, it has no connection to the purported group shown in the documentary. The NPP has not established any such group, and is neither affiliated to nor supports one.”

Source: thechronicle.com.gh