The Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin on Wednesday November 12, 2025 dismissed claims by Builsa North MP and Chairman of the Defence and Interior Committee, James Agalga, regarding which administration introduced the decentralised security services recruitment process.
During parliamentary debate on the recent tragedy at the Elwak Sports Stadium where six applicants died amid a crowded military recruitment exercise, Agalga argued that the decentralised recruitment model was introduced by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
According to him, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration had previously centralised the process and it took the return of the NDC to government to restore decentralisation.
However, midway through his remarks, the Speaker interjected, stating plainly that the MP’s submission was inaccurate.
“Honourable Member, factually you are incorrect,” the Speaker said, emphasising a second time, “Factually you are incorrect.”
Despite the correction, Agalga attempted to clarify that his reference was to what he described as the “long period” during which decentralisation had been abandoned before being revived “in recent times.”
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But the Speaker advised him against raising matters that were open to dispute, “Don’t raise issues that are debatable. Let’s comment and move on.”
Agalga subsequently took the cue and shifted to other aspects of his statement.
The discussion occurred as Parliament reviewed the circumstances that led to the halting of the ongoing military recruitment exercise following the Elwak Stadium incident.
The MP noted that the Defence Ministry had already suspended the exercise to allow for investigations, a point he acknowledged was already in effect.
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