The Minority in Parliament has rejected a directive by President Akufo-Addo to the Minister for the Interior, to inquire into circumstances that led to the death of two persons in Ejura on Tuesday.

According to the Minority, because state security agencies are complicit, they cannot be counted on to oversee a fair investigation adding that it is not enough for the President to establish a Ministerial Committee.

Addressing a media briefing in Parliament House, Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu said they rather want to see a Commission of Inquiry that would call for reforms of the security agencies.

“Understandably we have heard President Akufo-Addo instruct the Minister for Interior for a Commission of Inquiry into this matter, we reject it, that is not good enough. We want a Commission of Inquiry within the meaning of article 278, of the 1992 Constitution.”

“The President must appoint a sole commissioner or two or more persons to support a commissioner just like the Emile Short Commission on the Ayawaso West Wuogon [by election].”

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Mr Iddrisu stated that the Minority will accept the recommendations of such a commission chaired by a Supreme Court Justice or a Retired Justice.

“We want that type of Commission of Inquiry not a Ministerial one. There is complicity of state security agencies, they cannot absorb themselves,” the Tamale South Member of Parliament said.

His comment comes after President Akufo-Addo instructed the Minister for Interior, Ambrose Dery, to conduct a public inquiry into the circumstances that led to the death of two persons and four others sustaining injuries during a protest in Ejura on Tuesday.

The youth were demanding justice for activist Kaaka Mohammed who passed away after a mob attack.

A press statement signed by the Ag. Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, indicated that the President has given the Minister, ten days to provide a detailed report of the inquiry.

“The Interior Minister is to provide a detailed report from the inquiry, with recommendations for appropriate action to be taken by July 9, 2021”, parts of the statement read.

Meanwhile, the Minority said that the murder of Kaaka Mohammed is unfortunate and regrettable. They also condemned the additional loss of lives arising out of the use of “brute, cohesive and excessive force” by the security agencies.

“More significantly is the worrying absorption into the security agencies, in particular the Police and the Ghana Armed Forces, of NPP apparatchiks vigilantes. They are not professional, [and],they can never be professional. You know their modus operandi as they chase NPP Ministers out [of office]. We are not surprised that they may be at the center of this,” Mr Iddrisu said.

He explained that the many men who are being recruited are not trained adequately. He alleged that new recruits are being trained for three months instead of being trained ordinarily, for nine months.

He, however, urged the youth to calm down in their demand for justice so that lives can be preserved.

Source: myjoyonline.com