NPP acted irresponsibly in bringing South African ‘trainers’ – Fritz Baffour

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Ablekuma south, Fritz Baffour, joined fellow members of his party in condemning the opposition New Patriotic party (NPP), for bringing in three South African ex-security persons to allegedly train their party’s security personnel.

Three retired South African police officers were picked up by the Bureau of National Invetsigations (BNI) at Agona Duakwa in the Central Region for allegedly engaging in activities with national security implications.

The three — Major Ahmed Shaik Hazis (retd), 54; Warrant Officer Denver Dwayhe, 33, and Captain Mlungiseli Jokani, 45 — were picked up at the EL-Capitano Hotel where they had been based since arriving in the country at the beginning of this month.

They were said to be training some young men in various security drills, including unarmed combat, weapon handling, VIP protection techniques and rapid response manoeuvres.

The NPP, however, denied that the presence of the three men was linked to any subversive activity and explained that the three South Africans had been recruited to train the security detail of the NPP flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo, and and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia,  in VIP protection.

The explanation has, however, not impressed Ablekuma MP, Mr Fritz Baffour, who described the NPP’s conduct as irresponsible.

 “I am totally against any political party in Ghana training operatives… you can have private security working for you but if it’s a political grouping, then you are politicizing the security institution that you want around you and I think that is dangerous. If you actually train these people to a certain level and you do not use them later on, they can be used by other people to destabilize the country,” he told Accra-based Citi FM.

He said:  “Even if it was legal, I find it a little irresponsible coming from a political party because I know that if I have a flagbearer, you can actually apply to the national security network to give you some security coverage.

“If for example, a political party that is not in power comes into power, they are going to rely on the security service that were in existence before the came into power and they have to show that they have some degree of trust.”