Major Oduro flays Interior Minister over violence comments
Major Derek Oduro (rtd), Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkoranza North, has flayed the Interior Minister Mr Mark Woyongo over comments he made in defense of a vigilante a groups involved in election violence at Talensi.
In very strong words, the former military officer and legislator bashed the Interior Minister who is also the MP for Navrongo Central for asserting that “violence begets violence” in justification of electoral violence perpetrated by a group called Azorka Boys.
Mr Mark Woyongo, a former Defence Minister, has come under pressure to resign after he tried to explain the violence at Talensi in the Upper East Region last week where locals voted to elect a new Member of Parliament at a by-election.
The Minister in other interactions on the same issue had explained hat the statement was not meant to foment or support violence but rather for people to eschew violence since an act of violence could generate more violence.
The minister stated that “far from” endorsing violence, he was only trying to urge supporters of political parties to desist from provocations because it only breeds more violent responses from the provoked
But Major Oduro, who is also Deputy Ranking Member of Defence and Interiro, in a press statement issued in Accra, said it was unfortunate that a Minister responsible for Ghana’s internal security should make such a statement
He said the Minister’s justification of the conduct of “the Azorka gangsters” including the assault on police officers was very unfortunate and provocative.
“The question to ask is: Who bussed the Azorak boys to Talensi? Did the Minister of Interior have any hand in that operation? How come that the Police succeeded in intercepting a vehicle which had a gun, hammers, machetes, axes and other offensive weapons and retrieved the weapons but released the vehicle and the occupants in no time? Major Oduro queried.
The retired military officer wondered why the Minister mentioned the existence of the “Kandahar Boy”, “Bamba Boys” and the “Invincible Forces”, to justify the existence of the Azorka Boys, describing his stance as hypocritical. The minister stated that “far from” endorsing violence, he was only trying to urge supporters of political parties to desist from provocations because it only breeds more violent responses from the provoked.
It is suspected that the Azorka Boys are related to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) party, while the other are suspected to be lined with the Minority New Patriotic Party.
Major Oduro said the Minister’s pronouncement indicates that he cannot be entrusted with the responsibility to ensure the security of the country on order to afford a credible, transparent, free and fair elections in December 2016.
He called on the National Peace Council and other identifiable groups to be more alert to such pronouncement to ensure sanity in Election 2016.
Source: GNA