Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah has called on national security forces to be up and doing following another suspected separatist attack in the Volta Regional Capital, Ho.
In the latest incident, the armed group are reported to have attacked a security man and some drivers at the Ho Intercity State Transport Committee (STC) yard holding the security man at gunpoint while setting one bus ablaze.
They subsequently fled the scene before police forces arrived.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, the North Tongu Member of Parliament (MP) said the National Security apparatus needs to up their game while they investigate those suspected to be behind the recent attacks in the Volta Region.
He asked for a thorough investigation on the matter and cautioned that the possibility that other nefarious elements being responsible for the latest attacks should not be ruled out, as similar occurrences have happened across the West African sub-region.
“I am saying that we need a thorough investigation and our national security apparatus should be up and doing. We have seen elsewhere in other jurisdictions, history teaches us that sometimes, it can be used by other elements; a particular agenda can be used by other elements to pursue other agendas,” he said.
He was concerned that “anybody who doesn’t wish Ghana well can engage these persons, pay them, they have weapons already, and can foment trouble.”
He thus entreated the National Security apparatus not to limit their assessment of the secessionist attacks as being localised to the Volta Region and for that matter Ghana only.
“We just conclude that they are probably secessionist groups, what if other evil elements are trying to hide behind so-called secessionists to just destabilize the Volta region and destabilize our country. At this point, our intelligence should go deeper and we should be up and doing,” he said.
He further expressed concern on the apparent audaciousness of the militant group who so far has managed to escape police arrest.
He said this was reason enough for the nation’s security forces to up their game and make arrests in order to quell the violence and ascertain who is behind it.
“We still have these elements so brave and able to successfully carry out these attacks and leave the scene before law enforcement arrives, why is that? Can’t we do better?
“Can’t intelligence be ramped up so that we foil these things or even be able to prepare to have them picked up so that we can know exactly those who are behind these things what’s their motivation, who is sponsoring them, who’s putting them up to engage in these violent acts so there is far better we can? The state must rise up to the occasion,” he said.