The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central Constituency in the Northern Region, Inusah Fuseini has said that he never supported the call for MPs to be given police protection.
Following the recent killing of the MP for Mfantseman, Ekow Quansah Hayford, by unknown assailants who stopped his vehicle on the Abeadze-Dominase–Abeadze-Duadzi– Mankessim road while returning from a campaign trip, the Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, has assured Parliament that some 800 police personnel would be deployed to provide security for members at home at all times.
Announcing the intended protection for MPs at a briefing of parliament press corps, Mr. Dery, said another 200 police personnel would be deployed to the Parliamentary Protection Unit to serve as bodyguards for MPs from October to the end of 2020.
The interior Minister further noted that subsequently, 800 police personnel would be added so that each MP will also have security at home in the day and night.
But Mr. Fuseini, the MP who is not seeking re-election to parliament, in an interview on A1 Radio, wondered why the state should give police protection to MPs.
Holding such a view on the basis of principle, he said “One’s security is primarily the responsibility of the individual” and “the police only have to complement your security.”
Mr. Inusah believes that “An MP is an elected representative of the people and you can’t give him a police man to prevent his people from coming to him.”
Recounting the incident that resulted in the killing of Mr. Ekow Quansah, he said if the deceased “was out with a police man, they {the armed robbers} would have killed the policeman also.”
He believes that attaching police personnel as bodyguards to MPs does not necessarily enhance their security.
The best option he emphasized “is to get MPs to understand that there are certain risks they do not have to take.”
“If you go out campaigning, make sure you campaign during the day; even if you campaign in the night, make sure you improve upon your security.” He cautioned.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHZ|Paul Fordjour/Ghana
