The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken a swipe at the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for failing to call out NPP parliamentary candidate of Amenfi East, Ernest Frimpong for calling on small-scale miners to attack military officers who visit their sites.
GAF cautioned the “general public” against calls for attacks on soldiers. According to GAF, such calls pose a significant threat to the security and stability of the nation.
This followed a viral video in which the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) PC, Mr Frimpong, is heard urging persons suspected to be involved in small-scale mining to resist arrests by soldiers.
Ernest Frimpong, has, however, refuted the allegation that he has endorsed illegal mining and encouraged miners to resist military personnel.
In a response to the allegation, Mr Frimpong claimed he was taken out of context from the two-hour engagement with artisanal small-scale miners.
However, the opposition NDC, in a statement issued on June 10 and signed by its Deputy National Organiser, Elikem Kotoko, expressed their discontent with the cautionary statement from the military.
The party urged the military to be stern and direct its caution to the person(s) seen in the viral video rather than addressing the general public.
According to the NDC, “If the GAF continues in this manner, it loses respect and that will pose a future danger for this country.”
“We don’t want to think the GAF wants to record a Major Mahama-like incident (unfortunate as it was) again before it acts bluntly on the irresponsible comments of the NPP parliamentary candidate, Mr. Ernest Frimpong.
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“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.”
“As a responsible state institution, nowhere did you indicate that you have lodged a report at the relevant authority, in this case the Police, and if you indeed have not done that yet, please do. It demonstrates your commitment to the rule of law, due processes and the respect for same,” portions of the 3-page statement read.
Below is NDC’s full statement:
