The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) says the unwillingness of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to criticize the military for their invasion of Ashaiman after a soldier died is wrong.
The Executive’s degrading silence over the violations of human rights endured by the defenceless residents, according to the centre, also constitutes a tacit endorsement.
The President, who also serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, has come under fire for his silence after military forces went in for violence, invaded the area with armoured cars and helicopters and brutalized residents.
In a statement, CDD-Ghana tagged the military’s actions as “flagrantly unprofessional and savage,” and demanded that the President punish the officers responsibly.
“The Executive branch must also be advised that failing to condemn and sanction the military officers implicated in this barbaric episode is a slippery slope toward a generalized state of lawlessness and anarchy. The government’s tacit endorsement of this incident only goes to embolden military officers to take matters into their own hands whenever they deem it necessary to do so”, the statement read in parts.
The innocent residents were lined up and beaten to a pulp as the town became what residents described as a ‘ghost’ area.
Social media was awash with videos and photos from Ashaiman on the brutalities.
Those who were able to escape from the claws of the military locked themselves up in their rooms unable to go to work or attend any business of interest.
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in a statement justified the brutalities adding that the raid was not to avenge the death of the soldier but to fish out perpetrators of heinous crimes.
GAF announced that its high command sanctioned the swoop.
The Ghana Armed Forces in the statement announced that following the operation at Ashaiman-Taifa and Tulaku, the military personnel picked up about 184 suspects aged between 21 and 47 years old handed them over to the Military Police who have since been released.
GAF said the suspects will later be handed over to the police for screening and further action.
“CDD-Ghana is highly appalled by the conduct of the military officers at Ashaiman. We are further deeply dismayed by the revelation that this flagrantly unprofessional and barbaric conduct by military personnel was sanctioned by the military hierarchy and received justification and approval not only from the Military High Command, but also from a Deputy Minister of Defence, Kwaku Amankwa Manu, who as a member of the civilian government must exercise oversight and control over the conduct and operations of the armed forces”, it added.
