The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga, has publicly apologized to former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta following a controversial raid on his residence by individuals allegedly linked to the National Security apparatus.
Addressing Parliament yesterday, Ayariga described the incident as “most unfortunate and regrettable” and assured the House that he had received assurances from the National Security Coordinator that such an event was not intentional and would not happen again.
His response followed demands from the Minority Caucus for the immediate summoning of the National Security Coordinator to explain the circumstances surrounding the operation.
Minority raises alarm over raid
The Minority, led by Alexander Afenyo-Markin, strongly condemned the raid, calling it an unlawful act that posed a threat to Ghana’s democracy.
The former Deputy Finance Minister, Dr. Stephen Amoah, joined in the criticism, emphasizing that such actions undermined public trust in the rule of law.
During the debate in Parliament, the First Deputy Minority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, argued that the raid was unjustifiable, particularly since Ofori-Atta had officially informed the Chief of Staff of his absence from the country and had received approval for his travels.
“Mr. Speaker, Ghana has been noted for its democracy, but this action against the former Minister responsible for Finance raises serious concerns. His house was raided by alleged National Security operatives, despite him having clearance to travel. This is unacceptable,” Iddrisu stated.
Minority Leader Afenyo-Markin reinforced the argument, maintaining that there was no legal justification for the raid.
“There is no law that supports such an action. The man’s home was raided unlawfully. That conduct was unconstitutional. We are not sending the right signals to the electorate,” he added.
Majority leader cautions against politicizing the matter
In response to the Minority’s concerns, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga cautioned against using Parliament as a platform for legal disputes.
“… Mr. Speaker, if one believes their property and dignity have been violated, the appropriate forum for redress is the court. In court, both sides will present their case, and a legal determination will be made,” Ayariga argued.
He further reassured Parliament that the current administration, under President John Dramani Mahama, remains committed to ensuring that state institutions function properly and that citizens’ rights and liberties are upheld.
Questions linger over identity of security personnel
The controversy surrounding the raid has also sparked questions about the identities and motivations of the individuals involved. While security footage and eyewitness accounts indicated that some of the individuals were in police and military uniforms, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has denied any involvement, suggesting that the operation may have been orchestrated to discredit his office.
With tensions rising over the matter, calls for accountability and transparency continue to dominate parliamentary discussions, as Ghanaians await further clarifications on the true nature of the raid.
By SELORM GBORBIDZI, Accra
