Veteran journalist Abdul Malik Kweku Baako
• Kweku Baako has questioned why the military were deployed to control the protesters at Ejura
• He says their involvement was an overkill
• He believes that an action must be taken against some of the officers who were deployed to Ejura
Celebrated journalists Abdul Malik Kweku Baako and Kwame Sefa Kayi are demanding answers over the deployment of military personnel to Ejura to control protesters.
The two journalists are unhappy with the decision to engage the services of the military who by their training are supposed to apply force in situations.
Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo program, Baako said that the deployment of the military was an overkill.
Baako initially could not believe that due process was followed in their deployment but after clarification from Sefa Kayi, he questioned the motive behind a police officer placing a request for the military to come in.
“What was their target operation. What was it? That the police called that they were being pelted with stones so the military intervention is plausible. It’s like killing an ant with a bulldozer. My instincts and limited knowledge do not make me reconcile with the intrusion of the military,” Baako said.
Kwame Sefa Kayi interjected with a clarification on the procedure in getting personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces to intervene in the matter.
“The soldiers have something called Operation Calm Life and they patrol quietly so sometimes when these things happen they call on them either by the police or whoever is in charge. I can tell you that the police asked for reinforcement to go and assist.”
Sefa Kayi added “It is very untidy so we have to ask who requested the intervention of the soldiers. That is where the problem is. They were told that the police were under attack ….”
The maiming of the three protesters has earned the government criticism from a cross section of Ghanaians.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after coming under attack for being silent on the issue has spoken for the first time, instructing the Minister of Interior to investigate the issue.
“The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has instructed the Minister for Interior, Hon. Ambrose Dery, MP, to conduct forthwith, a public inquiry into the circumstances that led to the unfortunate occurrences of Tuesday, June 29, 2021. The Interior Minister is to provide a detailed report from the Inquiry with recommendations for appropriate action within 10 days, ie. by July 9, 2021 to President Akufo-Addo,” part of the statement read.
“The President is deeply saddened by the deaths of Ibrahim Mohammed, Abdul Nasi Yussif and Murtala Mohammed. He extends sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and wishes the injured a speedy recovery,” it added.