The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed fret over the Ghana Armed Forces’ (GAF) failure to directly address the culprits in its press release that cautioned the public on inciting people against the military.
The NDC says the GAF’s decision to beat about the bush on the matter where an NPP parliamentary candidate, in the presence of a regional minister, incited illegal miners also known as ‘galamseyers’, against the military, deserves outright condemnation and criticism of the perpetrators rather than the general caution the military issued.
The GAF had issued a statement cautioning the public not to make comments to incite people against the military since the soldiers initiation of self-defense in such instances could have dire consequences.
The caution followed a viral video on social media where one Ernest Frimpong, the Parliamentary Candidate of the New Patriotic Party for Amenfi East of the Western Region, told galamseyers to attack any military or security officer who attempts stopping them from doing galamsey.
He urged them to initiate reprisal attacks on the military, promising them that himself, the MCE and the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, who was present at the meeting, will always protect them.
But in the Monday, June 10, 2024 statement signed by Brigadier General Eric Aggrey-Quashie, Director General, Public Relations of the GAF, it cautioned the general public to refrain from attacking the military or inciting others since it is a crime.
A military officer was attacked by miners at Wassa Akyempim in the Western Region, less than 72 hours after the video of Ernest Frimpong surfaced.
This, is what the NDC says it is disappointed in the leadership of the military for not hitting the nail right on the head.
The party says the release should have addressed the comments of the NPP PC rather than throwing cautions to the general public without making any specific reference to the video in question.
“Unless the GAF, once the most disciplined and revered institution in Ghana has become compromised along political lines, one wonders WHY the author of your release, Brigadier General E. Aggrey-Quashie (Director General, Public Relations) will conceal the detail of calling out the person(s) found in the viral video and warning them directly instead of …cautioning the general public.
“The GAF cannot suddenly become so spineless and lose its denture to the extent that it fears to call out the name of the person who called for the attacks on soldiers; we do not want to believe this is because Ernest Frimpong belongs to the political party which the Commander-in-Chief of the GAF, President Nana Akufo-Addo also belong,” portions of the party’s statement signed by its Deputy National Organiser, Elikem Kotoko Monday, June 10, stated.
It went on to say that “rather than spend time cautioning the general public in your 5-paragraphed release on information they already know, be bold, confident, courageous and assertively stern to call out and caution Mr. Ernest Frimpong: he called for the attacks on your men and NOT the general public. ”
Kotoko also disclosed the NDC’s intention to take the matter up and report Ernest Frimpong to the CID if the military leadership fails to do so and seek justice for the young military officer who was attacked as a result of the NPP PC’s incitement.
