The Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) has criticised government over its decision to provide members of Parliament with armed police guards.

According to BPS, the decision will impact on how security services in the country execute their duties.

It noted with concern that the practise will expose the vulnerable in society since the security agencies will focus on a privilege few instead of the masses.

Though it fell short of describing the move as short-sighted, BPS said that the decision sends a wrong message to the populace.

The Executive Director of BPS, Nana Yaw Akwada told Citi News that “the commitment he [Ambrose Dery] has made actually reduces national security which aims at providing security for the general population and offering such security to politicians and men of power.”

“By so doing he has left the security of the ordinary Ghanaian to his vulnerable state. This is appalling, offensive, indecent. This single decision sends a wrong signal to the many lives which have been lost a in similar fashion,” he said.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2020, Interior Minister Ambrose Dery announced that 200 police officers will be despatched to guard MPs till next year. The officers according to Ambrose Dery will operate under the Parliamentary Protection Unit.

“Due to the retooling of the security agencies by President Akufo-Addo, the country has more security agencies and security personnel available. So, we have proposed that, between now and the end of the year, we are going to provide an additional 200 police personnel to be part of the parliamentary protection unit. We are making this arrangement to ensure that the unit attains the status of divisional police command to take care of the Members of Parliament as bodyguards.”

It comes on the back of calls by MPs for improved protection following the murder of Mfantseman MP Ekow Quansah Hayford.