Prime News Ghana

Election Petition: Stop using the military as bodyguards– Festus Aboagye 

By Justice Kofi Bimpeh
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A Security Analyst, Colonel Festus Aboagye retired, has called on authorities to stop using the military as bodyguards.

He said Ghana is not in a state of emergency where the military will be used in protecting state officials.

Col Aboagye was speaking to TV3 in relation to the military protection given to the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa and some state officials.

He said “Even when so mandated to provide security to certain VVIPs, it is not the role of the military to drive civilians, not even ministers.

“Maybe the Head of State may be the Vice but especially in situations of emergencies where there is a civil war or there is a conflict in certain parts of the country.

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“But in the normal democratic environment that we find ourselves the military are not bodyguards of MPs, not bodyguards of ministers and definitely they cannot be bodyguards of lawyers.

“Under the circumstances, the EC cannot even be protected by the military unless there is an executive order. Even with the executive order, it must be in a state of emergency, we are not in a state of emergency.”

Many have raised concerns regarding using the military as a bodyguard for EC boss Jean Mensa and some other state officials in the ongoing 2020 Election Petition.

Military personnel are always seen at the Supreme Court premises serving as a bodyguards to these officials.