General News of Thursday, 28 February 2019
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
2019-02-28
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
National Security Minister is set to present the 2017 annual report of to parliament in conformity with the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act 1996 (Act 526) on March 5, 2019.
This comes after Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa posed a question to the Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah, when he will submit a report to the House on Intelligence Agencies, for the year 2017, pursuant to section 17 of the Security and Intelligence Act.
On February 19, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced plans to sue the National Security Minister for not reporting to Parliament the status of Intelligence Agencies in the country.
The MP has consistently complained that Kan Dapaah has flouted the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act 1996 since assuming office by refusing to send the requisite annual report on intelligence agencies to Parliament.
Speaking in an interview, the Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs described the move by the Minister for National Security as a ‘historic’ development to hold government accountable.
“The move is an historic development and it has had to take the persistence of the Minority to ensure that Security and Intelligence Agencies Act 526 is adhere to. For many years, the Ministers responsible for National Security do not adhere to section 17 of act 525, they do not present annual report to Parliament and you do recall that consistently in the floor of the house we have asked that the minister for National Security present the annual report. As we speak the 2017 report was not presented, the 2018 has not been presented to this house.” Ablakwa posited.
He added the move is a “victory to our democracy, victory to parliamentary oversight, we will be monitoring closely to ensure that, the annual report is presented on the 5th of March, 2019.”
