James Agalga, Ranking Member of the Defense Committee
The Minority in Parliament has fiercely condemned the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-led government for deploying the military to border towns to enforce a recently imposed ban on the exportation of grains.
This comes after the government took steps to address the potential food security crisis triggered by drought-induced crop failures in the northern parts of Ghana.
However, the Ranking Member on the Defence and Interior Committee, James Agalga, at a presser in Accra on Friday, argued that the deployment is unnecessary and raises serious concerns about the government’s true intentions.
“The Minority takes note of the rollout of measures by the government to address the potentially devastating impact of the dry spell on food security in our country, the deployment of the military to our borders to ostensibly perform the task of the enforcement of a ban on the exportation of grain raises several questions and suspicions,” he said
The Minority also criticised the economic prudence of the decision, suggesting that the costs associated with deploying the military might surpass the value of the grain the government aims to protect.
They further urged the government to consider the implications carefully.
“First, neither the Minister for Food and Agriculture nor the defence minister who announced the ban and deployment of the military adduced any evidence to establish the inability of our immigration and customs services to enforce the prohibition in question to warrant the military’s involvement. The immigration service is statutorily empowered to manage and patrol the country’s borders as a first line of defense. The customs service, on the other hand, compliments the immigration service in the exercise of its preventive functions along our borders,” he added.
Recalling the events leading up to the 2020 elections, the Minority expressed concerns that the current military deployment might be part of a larger political strategy aimed at intimidating voters, particularly in border regions.
They pointed out that similar tactics were used in 2020 under the guise of addressing a secessionist threat, which conveniently dissipated after the elections.
“Such is the political chicanery of the government we are dealing with,” the Minority stated.
The Minority also addressed the role of the Minister of Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, in the deployment.
They accused him of harboring a political agenda, citing his previous statements about undermining the opposition’s chances in the upcoming 2024 elections.
“Bryan Acheampong will stop at nothing to execute the dastardly plot hatched by the government,” they claimed, questioning his credibility in handling the situation.