Ashaiman military brutalities: I am shocked Akufo-Addo is mute – Nyaho-Tamkloe

A founding member of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has expressed shock that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s failed to mention the recent military brutalities in his entire State of the Nation's Address (SoNA), delivered on March 8.

The former soldier argued that the president shouldn't have neglected such a serious security concern in his address to the nation according to a 3newsonline.com report.

Speaking in an interview with Johnnie Hughes on 3 FM on March 9, 2023, he said “I was shocked the president didn’t talk about the Ashaiman incident. This is an important national issue that shouldn’t have escaped his attention."

Dr Nyaho Tamakloe further called for the dismissal or resignation of the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul.

“The Minister of Defense should resign for failing to properly advise the president on the Ashaiman incident. Why didn’t he speak himself but his deputy spoke? If indeed he is in the country, then that’s wrong,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo presented the 2023 SoNA on March 8, 2023.

Prior to the President’s address, he stated that the address will be a slight digression from the usual state of the nation address in former years due to the state of Ghana's economy.

The State of the Nation Address is in accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, which states that the President shall deliver a message on the SONA to Parliament at the start of each session and before the dissolution of Parliament.

SoNA is a constitutional obligation and yearly tradition where the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces reports on the status of the country, unveils the government’s agenda for the coming year and proposes to Parliament certain legislative measures.

Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana obliges Members of Parliament (MPs), the Speaker of Parliament, and the Judiciary to receive the President’s SONA.

The president, largely, touched on all angles of the economy but failed to feature the controversial military brutality that took place at Ashaiman, barely twenty-four hours prior.

Some soldiers invaded Ashaiman in the early hours of Tuesday apparently in search of murderers of their young colleague.

Several videos of the incident captured by some residents went viral on social media. In some of these videos, personnel were seen hitting and brutalising those who were outside.

The incident happened on the dawn of Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at Official Town in Ashaiman.

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AM/SARA