National Security denies Mahama’s Asutsuare training claims

The National Security Secretariat has denied claims by former President John Mahama and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the government is training vigilantes to disrupt the 2020 elections.

The former President and his party claim the vigilantes are being trained at the military training grounds at Asutsuare in the Eastern region.

But in a statement, the National Security Secretariat said the people being trained at the said grounds are regular staff of the state security agency.

“Since 2009, recruits into this outfit have been provided with standard training. No persons other than regular national security staff are trained by the Secretariat at the facility. Although owned by the National Security Secretariat, the facility is managed and run on day to day basis by the Ghana Armed Forces. Other non-security state agencies and private institutions also use the facility to train their staff.

“The makers of these allegations who are immediate past government officials are very familiar with these training programs even including similar ones conducted during their tenure. It is therefore unfortunate for such persons to seek to bastardize these standard and routine training exercises for political ends,” the statement said.

The statement further assured the public that the national security is always working to ensure the security of Ghanaians.

Below are details of the statement by the national security

STATEMENT

The National Security Council Secretariat has taken note of allegations that the National Security Training School at Asutuare is being used to train party vigilante groups ahead of the 2020 general elections.

The Secretariat hereby informs the public that this allegation is false and a deliberate effort to create false impressions about standard training programs of national security recruits.

Since 2009, recruits into this outfit have been provided with standard training. No persons other than regular national security staff are trained by the Secretariat at the facility. Although owned by the National Security Secretariat, the facility is managed and run on day to day basis by the Ghana Armed Forces. Other non-security state agencies and private institutions also use the facility to train their staff.

The makers of these allegations who are immediate past government officials are very familiar with these training programs even including similar ones conducted during their tenure. It is therefore unfortunate for such persons to seek to bastardize these standard and routine training exercises for political ends.

The Secretariat assures the general public that it will at all times ensure that it works to promote rather than undermine the security of the state.

MAJOR IGNATIUS AWUNI (RTD)

HEAD, PUBLIC INFORMATION DEPARTMENT MINISTRY OF NATIONAL SECURITY