Security analyst Samuel Nana Appiah has asked the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to sanction its parliamentary candidate for Amenfi East, Ernest Frimpong, for allegedly encouraging illegal miners to assault police and military personnel.
The analyst first condemned the comments by the candidate, describing them as reckless and a threat to national security.
The analyst was reacting to the viral video showing the candidate inciting the illegal miners.
The candidate has since claimed that he was taken out of context and has also denied inciting his people against the soldiers and other security agencies.
But speaking in an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Samuel Nana Appiah asked the candidate to, with immediate effect, render an apology to the security agencies and Ghanaians in general.
He stated that the remarks were reckless, irresponsible, unfortunate, and unacceptable, stressing that they could create tension between the security agencies and residents in the area.
He made the remarks in reaction to a video circulating online in which Mr. Frimpong appears to incite miners to attack police officers and soldiers who extort money from them.
He said that, as someone with an interest in going to parliament, it was irresponsible for him to have advised residents to engage in lawlessness.
He asserted that this could influence residents to attack security officials who go to the area to maintain law and order.
“The party in the constituency and other officials may want to give different interpretations to the comments. But if the video is out in public and its contents are the true representation of what he said, then with my background in security, I don’t think this is a responsible thing to say. The party at the national level must call him to order. The national hierarchy of the party should find a way to call him to order.”
He continued: “Under no circumstances should you incite people against the military or advise them to assault soldiers.” He is a parliamentary candidate and could have addressed his constituents much better than he did. He might have addressed the same issue without encouraging them to assault the soldiers. It is unsettling to stand in front of a crowd and order them to assault soldiers. It is regrettable, and such a statement; we cannot allow such behaviour to continue in our country.”
“The danger in what he stated is that he has prepared his constituency for violence. If you seek power and encourage your people to fight the security agencies, and you will back them up, you are endangering them.
If precautions are not made, the residents may attack security officers dispatched to the region to maintain law and order without provocation. That is dangerous, and it will be linked to what he said. Yo, whatever he said was bad in every sense of the word. I don’t believe it was good, regardless of whether he was politically motivated. We will never accept such remarks from someone seeking to be elected MP. That cannot be allowed. This is the time for us to establish peace, stability, and unity.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
