The Majority Group in the Parliament of Ghana has slammed the Ato Forson-led Minority Caucus for accusing parliamentary candidates affiliated to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of getting favours from the government to recruit party loyalists into the security services ahead of the December 7 general elections.
At a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 addressed by the Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, the Majority Group denied the allegation, noting that it is a desperate attempt by the Minority to incite public disfavor against the government as the 2024 general elections approaches.
The Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, alleged at a news conference on Monday, May 20, 2024 that each of the NPP parliamentary candidates, across the country, has been allocated 30 slots to select NPP loyalists and supporters to fill vacant positions within the security services, including the police and the army.
Dr Ato Forson then urged the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the government, to halt the exercise, which he described as undemocratic behavior and emphasised the need for transparency and fairness in the recruitment processes within the security services.
“Notwithstanding the fact that the Minority raised serious concerns about the criteria adopted by the NPP government to recruit personnel into the security services, it has persisted in taking additional steps in the last few days that we have seen.
“The NDC Minority can authoritatively state that not long ago, the NPP government again illegally and fraudulently has given out 30 slots to all NPP parliamentary candidates across the country for recruitment into the security services”, he alleged.
But responding further, Madam Appiagyei, known in political circles as ‘Mama Pat’ and also known for her political dynamism, described the claims of the Minority as not only baseless but preposterous and urged the public to treat it with the contempt that it deserves.
“The Minority’s assertion that 276 NPP parliamentary candidates, including 138 sitting MPs, have each been given 30 recruitment slots, which is mathematically and administratively ludicrous.
“To suggest that 8,250 new recruits could be absorbed into our security forces, in a system that traditionally accommodates between 1,000 to 1,200 recruits annually, shows a profound misunderstanding of the operational and financial frameworks of our security institutions”, she noted.
She added, “The claims of Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson are a deliberate distortion of reality and a malicious fabrication aimed at undermining the integrity of the government. Such allegations serve only to provoke unwarranted tension and foster an environment of mistrust and political rivalry that our country does not need”.
Minister for the Interior, Henry Quartey, immediately after assuming office outlined the government’s recruitment strategy, which focuses on giving a second chance to qualified Ghanaians who previously applied but were not selected.
This strategy, according to Mdam Appiagyei “is not only fair but also thoughtful, avoiding unnecessary financial burdens on applicants by not reopening the recruitment process widely”.
Worried about the implications of disinformation, the deputy Majority Leader cautioned the Minority Group to refrain from such acts as they are beneath the dignity of the country’s democratic processes and could potentially endanger its peace and the security.
She assured of the government’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and the rule of law and called on the media to demand factual accuracy and to contribute responsibly to the political discourse of the country.
Stephen Odoi-Larbi reporting from Parliament House
