My resignation as Interior Minister shocked Kufuor – Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu

Former Interior Minister under the erstwhile John Agyekum Kufuor administration, Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu has revealed that his resignation as Interior Minister came as a shock to the President.

According to him, his resignation was to pave way for thorough investigations into the unfortunate incident of March 27, 2002 that claimed the life of Ya-Naa Yakubu Andani the II and some of his subjects.

He disclosed on Motion TV monitored by MyNewsGh.com that the move was also to clear his name after some faceless persons had accused him and the then Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama and General Amidu of being masterminds of the unfortunate incident.

“I fell ill even. I had terrible malaria which I have not had for a very long time. So, these unfortunate events took place. Before we knew what was happening people had already decided that Malik, Aliu, and General Amidu and all those were responsible. So, when I felt a bit well, that was up to Thursday after I returned from the hospital I went straight to the Castle to meet the President. I told him what has happened we need to investigate it thoroughly, there are many forces behind this incident. In order to do it in such a way that nobody thinks we are covering up anything, I am going to resign”

President John Agyekum Kufuor who was shocked about his decision to resign indicated that he was obliged to accept or reject the resignation.

“The President said if you are going to resign it is for me to accept it or not. But because of the reasons you are giving me if I am accepting it I would say without prejudice. In other words, it is not like you did anything wrong, it is just that you are saying we should be truthful and investigate matters in such a way that so that nobody has doubts. So I issued a statement that what has happened was unfortunate but the allegations people were making were totally unfounded, had no basis so I was stepping aside for investigations to be carried out”, he disclosed.

Revealing steps he had taken in collaboration with the Northern Regional Security Council to avert the incident he said “I was the Minister for the Interior and on the Friday before incident, I had a call from Issah Ketekewu who was the Deputy Northern Regional Minister that they had the sense that some arms were moving into Yendi… an intelligence report and they wanted to take measures to forestall any problems in the fire festival that was going to come. He said they were calling me only because part of the measures they wanted to take was to impose a curfew in Yendi and they found out in the law that it is only the Minister of Interior who can authorize the imposition of curfew in any part of Ghana so they were calling me on that purpose. I asked them to put their request into writing and let me have it in about thirty minutes’ time. I was in my office and then did that and I called President Kufuor, I knew he was going to Kumasi”

The former Yendi lawmaker indicated that he was unable to meet the President at home and read the letter to him on phone and in response he said “They are on the ground we are not there so the help they need to do their work properly we have to give them. Our desire was to ensure that Dagbon stays peaceful. The next day this incident happened I fell very ill”