The Defence Minister’s justification of the burning of dozens of heavy sand winning machines by soldiers of the sixth battalion in the Northern region smacks of “arrogance” and “incompetence”, the Minority has said.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament Tuesday, March 13, Dominic Nitiwul justified the action of the soldiers deployed from their military base in Kamina Barracks.

The military Saturday, March 3, carried out the combative operation to intensify a crackdown on illegal sand miners along the White River.

Hundreds of Tipper Truck drivers in Tamale Sunday, March 04, complained to the Chief of Tamale, Gulkpe Naa Alhassan Abdulai about the burning down of their vehicles by soldiers at Nawuni near Kumbungu where they transport illegally mined sand.

“This is not the first time that the Ghana Armed Forces or through the government has a decision to stop people through the use of force and burning,” said Nitiwul in his parliamentary address.

He said the security agencies are still looking for the perpetrators of the illegal sand winning and that they will be prosecuted when they are arrested.

That notwithstanding, Nitiwul said, the perpetrators have the right to seek redress for the burning of the equipment.

In a reaction, however, the minority castigated the Minister for arrogantly lying and exhibiting gross incompetence in fighting the illegal sand winning menace.

This, according to the Minority, showed the Minister is not fit to be Minister.

“…You have done a reckless act which is causing government millions of cedis in judgement debt and then you come on the floor of Parliament and say you are doing more of the reckless act,” said Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, Minority spokesperson on communication.

He continued: “Is this a Minister who should be in charge of the Defence Ministry? The Minister by his own statements is indicting himself about his competence in handling matters of this nature.”

He added, “You have engaged in crass illegality and instead…[of] showing remorse and apologizing to the victims who are bearing the pain of having their machines illegally burnt, you don’t show remorse, you are exhibiting more arrogance. That is why I am saying that the Defence Minister is becoming more arrogant and increasingly reckless by the day.”