The Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA) has appealed to President Nana Akufo-Addo to withdraw the nomination of Major Derek Oduro (rtd) as Deputy Minister of Defence.

The group said it found the nominee’s comments on the case of the photojournalist who was brutalised by armed military men very appalling and unseemly of a Deputy Minister of Defence.

According to Kendrick Ofei Ansah, the photojournalist, four soldiers ordered him to follow them to the Osu Castle barracks after he attempted to video them assaulting a civilian at the beach behind the Black Star Square.

He alleged that the soldiers ordered him to crash his iPhone with a stone, after which about 10 of them pounced on him while others looked on at the Castle barracks.

Major Oduro (rtd), who is also the NPP Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North, is reported to have said that the soldiers may have genuine reasons for manhandling him in an interview with Accra-based Starr FM.

“There are some areas and zones where pictures are not supposed to be taken. If the person was assaulted it was wrong, it is wrong but something might have prompted the action. At times, we blow issues out of proportion," adding: “Many are concocting stories and we will need to investigate them. How can Kendrick be alive if he was beaten for 40 minutes? The victim has a mouth to talk. I do not think he was beaten for 40 minutes.”

However, ASEPA has described the nominee’s comments as unfortunate and has threatened to also petition the Appointments Committee of parliament over the issue and his nomination.

This was contained in statement issued by the group and signed by its executive secretary, Mensah Thompson.

Below is the full statement:

ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL EQUITY & PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY~ASEPA

22-03-2017

PRESS RELEASE

WITHDRAW THE NOMINATION OF DEPUTY DEFENCE MINISTER DESIGNATE OVER HIS COMMENTS AGAINST BRUTALISED JOURNALIST

The Alliance for social equity and public accountability finds the posture of Major Rtd Derrick Oduro on the case of the photo journalist who was brutalised by armed military men very appalling and underserved of a deputy minister of defence.

Military brutality as well as police brutality has been a concurrent menace among our security services,there have been several instances where civilians including journalists have been severely brutalised and their tools destroyed and attempts to seek justice for these individuals had come to a stale end.

As a country that is a fore bearer of human rights protection and press freedom we cannot entertain these vices that damages the international reputation of the country.

We find the comments and posture of the deputy minister designate on GhOneTV 's state of affairs program on Tuesday 21-03-2017 very worrying and practically inappropriate as it suggest to condone military brutality and we cannot sleep and have our eyes closed and think that such a person as the chairman of the defence and interior committee of parliament would be able to uphold the fundamental human rights of Ghanaians.

This is a moral call on the president Nana Akufo Addo who has over the years carved a niche for himself as a freedom fighter to withdraw the nomination of the deputy minister and expedite a full scale investigations into the alleged incident and ensure that justice is served on this journalist to reiterate Ghana's quest for total press freedom.

The President in the build up to the 2012 elections made certain pronouncement that suggested to support some form of violence and he received serious backlash for those comments, fortunately this opportunity has presented itself for the president to demonstrate to Ghanaians and the world that he does not condone any form of violence whatsoever.

It will be in the interest of Ghana that this alleged brutality comes to a conclusive end and justice fully served.

We also call on Ghana Journalist Association to add their voice to this call even if the individual is not a registered member of GJA,we also call on human right groups ,civil society organisations to join the fight for justice and to protect the fundamental human rights of civilians and journalists as well as all individuals who require ultimate freedom to dispense their duties without fear of favour.

Justice for one is justice for all and the freedom of the citizens of this country needs to be upheld in high esteem as motto of the country depicts "freedom and Justice"

Signed:
Mensah Thompson
Executive secretary ASEPA