The Ministry of National Security has refuted allegations made by Mr. Yao Gomado, Member of Parliament for the Akan Constituency, accusing operatives of deliberately causing the deaths of two individuals in the constituency.
The claims, the Ministry argued, are ‘grossly inaccurate’ and crafted to serve a ‘parochial agenda.’
It clarified the circumstances surrounding the incident, revealing that in October 2023, an intelligence-led operation aimed at curbing cocoa smuggling along the Eastern Corridor, which includes the Akan Constituency, was initiated in collaboration with COCOBOD.
According to the Ministry, tragically, on December 25, 2023, a vehicle from the anti-smuggling operations collided head-on with a motorcycle, claiming the lives of two individuals on board.
It emphasized that the incident was purely accidental, prompting the Ghana Police Service to initiate a full-scale investigation.
Some aggrieved individuals in the Akan Constituency, under the misconception that the deaths were intentional, vandalized and set the anti-smuggling operations vehicle ablaze.
The Ministry expressed deep regret for the loss of the two lives and extended its condolences to the bereaved families.
It urged the public to disregard the factual inaccuracies presented in the press release by the MP, which the Ministry believes is an attempt to sow disaffection for the ongoing anti-cocoa smuggling operation in the Constituency.
Below is the text of the statement
The attention of the Ministry of National Security has been drawn to a press release by the Honourable Yao Gomado, Member of Parliament for the Akan Constituency, accusing operatives of the Ministry of deliberately killing two persons in his Constituency.
The Ministry wishes to state that the account by the Member of Parliament for the Akan Constituency on the regrettable loss of the lives of the two persons is grossly inaccurate and mischievously fabricated to satisfy a parochial agenda.
The facts of the matter are as follows:
- In October 2023, the Ministry of National Security, in collaboration with COCOBOD, launched an intelligence-led operation along the Eastern Corridor which includes the Akan Constituency, to prevent cocoa smuggling to neighbouring countries.
The launch of the intelligence-led operation was informed by a surge in cocoa smuggling activities, leading to a significant reduction in the quantum of cocoa beans sold by farmers to Licensed Buying Companies (LBCs). This explains the presence of National Security personnel in the Akan Constituency. So far, the anti-cocoa smuggling operations have been successful with several persons involved in the smuggling activities arrested. A significant amount of cocoa beans seized from the smugglers have been submitted as exhibits for prosecuting the arrested persons. It is worth noting that as a result of the intelligence-led operations, the LBCs have recorded an uptick in the quantum of cocoa sold to them by farmers.
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Regrettably, on December 25, 2023, one of the vehicles of the anti-cocoa smuggling operations team was involved in an accident when it collided head-on with a motorcycle carrying two persons; a development that claimed the lives of the two persons aboard the motorcycle.
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In the immediate aftermath of the accident, personnel of the Ghana Police Service arrived at the scene to commence full-scale investigations. However, some aggrieved persons in the Akan Constituency, guided by a misconception that the two deceased persons were deliberately targeted, vandalised the vehicle and set it ablaze.
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The Ministry deeply regrets the loss of the two persons and expresses its deepest condolences to their families. The Ministry, however, deems it prudent to put on record that the incident leading to the deaths of the two persons was purely accidental and not borne out of a targeted operation.
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To this end, the public is urged to disregard the factual inaccuracies contained in the press release issued by the Member of Parliament for the Akan Constituency aimed at courting disaffection for the anti-cocoa smuggling operation currently ongoing in the Constituency.
