Nana Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the opposition NPP, on Tuesday night showed how reckless and careless he will be as far as the nation’s security is concerned in the unlikely event that he becomes President of Ghana when he refused to submit himself to the necessary security checks at the Kotoka International Airport on his way to London.

The diminutive Abuakwa lawyer who has avoided using the VVIP section of the airport ever since Prof. Mills assumed office as President of Ghana and had a scanner installed at the VVIP section of the airport arrived at the airport at the last hour (around 11 pm) when passengers travelling on-board British Airways Flight 078 had long been screened together with their luggage.

On arrival, a fair-coloured Immigration official (name withheld) who started cheering the NPP flagbearer, repeatedly referring to him as “my President” appeared from nowhere to quickly stamp the NPP flagbearer’s passport. Nana Akufo-Addo was then led by this Immigration Official to the Central Screening section of the airport where per the Transport & Security Agencies (TSA) regulations introduced globally in the wake of the September 11 attack on the US, all passengers were required to take off their shoes, belts and any metal objects on them and place them in a dish which then goes through a scanner before the prospective passenger passes through another scanner all to ensure that no one takes on board drugs or explosives.

However, the NPP flagbearer will not remove his shoes as required by security regulations and observed by travellers at every airport in the world. Neither will the Immigration Officer, members of Aviation security nor NYEP staffers working at that section of the airport insist on the NPP flagbearer do the right thing. Instead, they started to cheer him up, repeatedly calling him “our President” while he in turn pulled out money from his pocket which he shared like confetti amongst them.

This brazen disregard and violation of an international security regulation aimed at securing the safety of air travellers around the globe did not amuse some workers at the airport nor other prospective travelers present during the incident. “I now understand why many even within the NPP do not want this man to become President. How can he, who wants to become President of Ghana, not be able to show good leadership by ensuring that he goes through screening as required? Will he be able to do that when he arrives at Heathrow (airport in London)?” an obviously shocked female traveller said loudly after the NPP flagbearer had gone to board the plane.

This incident not only highlights the reckless and indiscipline character of Akufo-Addo but also brings into sharp focus the behaviour of the Immigration officer, the aviation security and NYEP staffers attached to aviation security. By their conduct, these persons have shown that they will compromise the security of travellers for political or financial reasons. The Authorities in charge of the airport and the National Security Secretariat ought to conduct an immediate investigations into the conduct of these people who not only shirked their responsibilities to other travellers on board British Airways Flight 078 by letting Nana Akufo-Addo board the flight without going through the mandated screening but also accepted money from him while doing their official duties (bribery). More Anon