Two hundred police officers have been deployed to serve as
bodyguards for Members of Parliament, Accra-based Asempa FM has reported.
This forms part of temporary measures to provide
enhanced security for legislators following the killing of Mfantseman MP, Ekow Quansah Hayford.
The latest security arrangement is expected to last
till the December elections are over.
According to Asempa FM, MPs who
double as Ministers or Deputy ministers are exempted from the arrangement since
they already have security protection.
Some legislators, including Minority Leader in
Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, Sam George, and Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu had revived
calls for security for MPs in the wake of the death of their colleague.
Haruna Iddrisu called on the state to intervene to
prevent a repeat of the incident on another MP.
He was of the view that Metropolitan/District Chief
Executives (MMDCEs) and ministers enjoy police defense hence legislators should
not be excluded under any circumstance.
Addressing parliament, Mr. Iddrisu said: “Mr. Speaker, I
should thank you for the opportunity but with a heavy heart with some
difficulty accepting that this morning, we are without our colleague, Ekow
Hayford”.
The NPP MP, Ekow Quansah Hayford
was shot and killed on the dawn of October 9, 2020, by a group of armed men
suspected to be robbers while heading home from an evening campaign at Abeaze
Dominase.
The armed robbers ordered them out after seizing
their belongings, including mobile phones and monies, before shooting him.
His driver has been hospitalized while other party
executives who were in the four-wheel-drive escaped unhurt.
Akufo-Addo reveals plans he had for murdered MP
President Nana Akufo-Addo while mourning the passing
of the MP for Mfantseman, Ekow Hayford, revealed he had penciled him for an appointment in
his next government.
Nana Akufo-Addo said “he was part of the young people
I wanted to appoint in my next government. But unfortunately, this happened,”
The President noted that he had tasked the IGP, James
Oppong Boanuh, to ensure those responsible for the gruesome murder of his
party’s MP are brought to book.
“I’ve spoken to the IGP about this, and I’ve told him
that if I don’t see any action from him, then what will happen will happen.”
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