Traditional Rulers appeal for restoration of Speaker’s security

At a press conference at Kaleo, the traditional rulers from the five paramountcy and traditional councils in the Kaleo Traditional Area, expressed dissatisfaction with the unnecessary delay in bringing back the military attachment to the office of the Speaker of Parliament

“We wish to state that the action by the Military High Command smacks of bad faith.  It jeopardises the safety and security of our dear hardworking son, who has lived all his Life serving our dear nation, Ghana,” the chiefs stated.

In a statement read by the Sankana Naa, Naa Pagran-Nige Mornaa, Paramount Chief of the Sankana Traditional Area, he explained that the withdrawal of the Military attachment by the Military High Command to the Office of the Speaker of Parliament has made the life of Rt. Hon. Alban S.K. Bagbin as Speaker of Parliament unsafe.

The chiefs contended that over the past one month, they had not been able to sleep over “this heart-wrenching development,” saying, “we seem not to understand the reason given by the Military High Command for the withdrawal of the military attachment to the office of the Speaker.”

The chiefs therefore appealed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who is also the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces to call the “Big men of the Military High Command” to order.

The statement noted that in Ghana’s political history, the current parliament was different from previous ones.

“It is a hung parliament, which as we all know, is bedeviled with open fights among the two main opposing groups and there is the urgent need to secure the Office of the Speaker of Parliament with the deployment of soldiers to ensure his safety,” the chiefs pointed out.

They acknowledged that in his work as a long serving Member of Parliament and Minister of State, Mr Bagbin had actively and ably contributed to the development of this nation on a scale that is unmatched.

“It therefore beats our imagination that such a distinguished citizen, once cherished, awarded and applauded by many for his matchless contribution to the development of this country, is rather the one at the receiving end of his bizarre denial of basic privileges such as the provision of security by the Ghana Armed Forces, most especially given the configuration of the current parliament as it stands.

“It must be noted that Rt. Hon. Bagbin has selflessly and diligently contributed the best of his intellect, energy and time to the service and development of Mother Ghana – both in Parliament and Government – mostly at a great discomfort to his personal life and family for almost three decades now,” the statement added.

The traditional rulers noted that even before he became a politician and a Member of Parliament, he had throughout his life practice as a Lawyer, kept faith with this oath to defend the defenseless.

According to the Chiefs, they sighted a letter allegedly signed by the Chief of Staff of the Military High Command, which stated that the attachment of the four military officers did not follow the right procedure and that they were being withdrawn for appropriate steps to be taken to regularize their stay.

The Sankana-Naa, Naa Pagran-Nige Mornaa, Takpo Naa, Naa Widaana-Nanga, Kaluri Naa, Naa Tindaana, Gyilli Naa, Naa Badienaang Sanyellah and Gbankor Naa, Naa Jamaa Matarah with other sub-chiefs attended the press conference.