Improve security of high-profile persons – Ohene Ntow

An appeal has been made to the police and other security bodies to provide security for notable personalities in the country following a rising spate of attacks on such people, the most recent one being a robbery attack, at gunpoint, on former presidential aspirant Alan Kyeremanten.

Mr Kyeremanten was attacked on Saturday at West Legon.

Nana Ohene Ntow, a former government spokesperson during the era of former President John Kufuor, made the call in an interview on Accra100.5FM on Monday June 13, 2016.

Mr Kyeremanten is the third prominent personality to have had his residence invaded by robbers in recent times.

On February 9, 2016, Abuakwa North MP J.B. Danquah-Adu was stabbed to death at his Shiashie residence at dawn, a few hours after arriving home, allegedly by 19-year-old Daniel Asiedu, who is currently standing trial.

Also on Friday May 6, armed robbers took Okere MP and Minority Chief Whip Dan Botwe and his family hostage for 45 minutes before leaving with phones, laptops, cash, and other valuables.

Thus, Nana Ohene Ntow, who was also spokesperson for Mr Kyeremanten during the latter’s third shot at the NPP flagbearership in 2014, said the security in general needed to be stepped up across the country to protect citizens while more should be done for high-ranking personalities.

He told Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom, the station’s morning show: “There is no country without high profile personalities that we have to accept. Because even in families, a misfortune can hit and one member dies, but there may be that one person who, once he passes away, the family may not be able to recover because he sustains the family. That is how every country is like. There are some dignitaries, who, if they die, the effects will be more far-reaching, for which reason the government or security agencies in charge of national security and public safety will need to really take a look at, because what we are witnessing in recent times is creating some panic among the population.

“So, we will urge that the police and National Security sit down and look at the matter.”

The former NPP General Secretary added that the Ghana Police Service, often after receiving reports of such crimes, promise an investigation only for the matter to die a natural death, a situation he said emboldens criminals, who get attuned to the idea that they will never be found out for their misdeeds, to persist with their illegal activities.

This, he said, had led to citizens’ “quite shaky” trust in the police to thoroughly carry out investigations.

“Some of the cases pend with complainants hearing nothing [from the police]; that makes it more dangerous. So, we will need that the police and National Security focus more attention towards citizens’ safety than currently exists,” he suggested.