The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshall Samson Oje, says the President of Ghana does not need to acquire and carry a gun for his personal safety.

According to him, the President has at his disposal enough protection from the country’s security apparatus; hence he does not need to be alarmed.

The CDS was reacting to a recent publication claiming President John Mahama purchased a gun for his personal safety.

He made the declaration when he paid a courtesy call on the executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) at a ceremony in Accra Tuesday.

Intricacies of issue

In a recent letter believed to have been written by the Deputy Interior Minister, James Agalga, the President was reported to have imported a pistol and subsequently applied for a license from the Arms and Ammunition Unit of the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The CDS indicated that when he changed the story in the newspapers he sensed that the issue has been blown out of proportion, adding that the President might have made the statement in a passing.

“Any gun that can fire 200 rounds continuously cannot be concealed; I can assure you that since such guns can be as big as a tripod stand.

I doubt if our President will carry that,” he said.

Social media shutdown

Air Marshall Samson Oje shied away from stating his position on the recent threat by the IGP to shut down social media platforms during the forthcoming elections.

“The IGP and his team meet and discuss issues and how to counter those issues relating to security. If by their judgment they think this is the path, I as the CDS I have no right to deny them what they want to do,” he added.

Meanwhile, media reports suggest that the Ghana Police Service has shelved the idea of banning social media in the November elections.