The Majority Leader of Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has questioned the opposition against the calls for Members of Parliament to be given personal security protection by section of the public.
According to the Majority Leader, the objection to the calls for the provision of police protection for individual MPs by a section of the populace maybe fueled by jealousy or envy.
He contended that MPs are critical in the steering of national affairs as result they must be protected by the state stating that the killing of MPs as it has been happening dents the image of the country. Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu wondered why some people are against the provision of police protection for MPs when ministers and MMDCEs who are in lower position in the hierarchical order of government are given police protections.
“We should know that all fingers cannot be the same yet we have people who perhaps informed by envy or jealous or whatever say ‘Members of Parliament are not different from us. They are our representatives so leave them’. People should recognize that in the perching order, MPs come before minister so if ministers are offered protection why not MPs? We have DCEs who are offered protection. In the perching order, DCEs don’t come anywhere near MPs yet nobody raises issues when DCEs have to be offered protection but for MPs, no! They are ordinary citizens. What informs that?” he stated.
He continued “What has happened is most unfortunate not only to the family even though they are the first port of call but Ghana is the ultimate loser because people will question the security system in the country. It affects the image of the Republic and we should be concerned.”
Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu made these remarks in reaction to the killing of the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman Constituency, Ekow Quansah Hayford.
Mr. Ekow Quansah Hayford was reportedly shot dead by suspected armed robbers while returning from a campaign trip on the Abeadze Dominase – Abeadze Duadzi – Mankessim Road at about 1:00 am on Friday, October 9, 2020.
Describing the death of the MP as a great loss to the nation, the majority leader renewed calls for the provision of security guards for Members of Parliament by the state. He argued that the provision of personal security for MPs will reduce the incidents of MPs being murdered.
Personal security guard for MPs, he explained, will ward off criminals who may intend to harm them hence safeguarding the lives of MPs.
“If you have a body guard who is in in front of your vehicle (and) somebody fires, the person can offer you little protection. Sometimes the mere presence of a policeman will ward off such intruders knowing perhaps that the policeman is armed and if they attempt anything he will act. I think that as a nation, we should be thinking about that,” he said.
The MP for Suame Constituency believes the state is capable of providing security guards for every Member of Parliament in order to safeguard their lives against harm.
“It used to be that we didn’t have many security personnel in the system but now we are increasing the numbers and I think it is important for us to think through this well,“ he added.
