President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with John Dramani Mahama
• John Dramani Mahama has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to improve on the security situation in the country
• His comments followed the recent killing of a UK journalist in Ghana
• The journalist was working on Ghana’s peace and security when he met his untimely death
Former President John Dramani Mahama, has called for improved security following the recent Tamale-Buipe highway robberies which led to the untimely death of a UK journalist who was in Ghana working on a documentary.
According to him, “the now rampant criminal activity of armed robbers in the northern parts of the country is a cause for great concern, as they are fast becoming a daily occurrence. In recent times, these armed robbers have become so emboldened that they [are] not only terrorizing road users in the night but in the daytime as well.”
Mahama made these comments in a statement signed by his Special Aide, Joyce Bawa Mogtari on August 29, 2021, which he recalled that safety and security were some of the issues highlighted during his just-ended tour of the five regions of the north to appreciate stakeholders in their support during the 2020 elections.
The former President is of the view that, the Akufo-Addo led government must improve security in the five northern areas in order to curb the menace.
He said, “despite the low morale of many of our police personnel due to the lack of adequate crime-fighting logistics, the Ghana Police Service remains one of the best in Africa and when given all the support, can secure our highways and ensure security for all our people.”
“We, therefore, call on the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia government to take urgent steps to address the deteriorating security situation in the country so that our people can feel safe to go about their daily activities,” the statement read further.
Commenting on the killing of MTA International journalist, Syed Taaley Ahmed Sahib, on the Tamale-Buipe road by armed robbers, John Dramani Mahama said:
“It is truly ironic that a journalist working on a documentary on peace and security should die from an incident of highway robbery, which has become symptomatic of the violent crime currently consuming our country.”
Read below his full statement.