Politics of Tuesday, 12 February 2019

Source: Boamah Darko

NPP denies military training allegations

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Dean of Metropolitan, Municipal District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Eastern Region has refuted allegations by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) it's MMDCEs in the region for violent attacks ahead of the 2020 general elections.

His comment follows allegation by the Eastern Regional Chapter of the NDC claiming the NPP is secretly training municipal and District Chief Executives at the Achiase Jungle warfare in the Eastern region.

According to a statement by the Eastern regional secretariat of the NDC, intelligence they have gathered indicates that the MMDCEs who double as chairmen of Municipal Security Council and District Security Council are being prepared and ready for aggression for the 2020 elections which they describe as a bigger scheme of training vigilantes recruited by the NPP constituency chairmen and being coordinated by regional security officers.

"Photographs of political appointees in military uniforms and going through standard training have gone viral on social media. These trained and armed vigilantes would be under the command and control of these MMDCEs who have just received training at Achiase Jungle warfare".

But the Dean of MMDCEs in an interview with Boamah Darko on the 'Maakye' show in Hot93.9fm bemoaned the NDC's way of reading meanings to what he describes as a fruitful retreat at Achiase jungle warfare schools. He explained that though chairmen of the various security councils in the various Assemblies partook in the retreat, they do not control the professional security officers.

" It is the practice of the school for everyone who comes there for training to wear their uniform. This is because the Military officers are by Law not supposed to give instructions to civilians. How can a one and half day retreat be a military training. The school is opened to everyone and various institutions do come there for such retreats. We treated topics which were of importance to us. Time management team work, leadership and self discipline, relationship between MMDCEs and their staff were some of the topics treated. If they want, I can pay for them to experience such training too" He noted.