National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has accused the Interior Minister of attempting to bribe Minority MPs with offers of police recruitment slots.
During an appearance on Joy News’ PM Express, he claimed that Henry Quartey made these offers to suppress opposition from NDC legislators who were challenging the recruitment of approximately 10,000 party foot soldiers into the police force.
Asiedu Nketia, also known as General Mosquito, voiced serious concerns about the potential impact of such actions on the upcoming election, warning that the Interior Minister’s alleged clandestine activities could threaten peace.
He urged organizations like the National Peace Council and the Catholic Bishops Conference to publicly address the matter, stressing the importance of transparency and accountability.
Additionally, General Mosquito elaborated that the Interior Minister had attempted to bring these individuals into the security services but encountered resistance.
“At some point, the Interior Minister himself went to Parliament to try to, like, bribe our MPs and say, ‘Look, bring two persons each from your constituency, and let’s add them so that you allow me to do it.’ Our MPs rejected it flatly,” he alleged on Wednesday.
Mr Asiedu Nketia revealed that he had followed up on the matter, advising NDC MPs not to accept the offer.
“I said, don’t give them even one person because if you add one person, they recruit 10,000,” he stated.
He further claimed that the Interior Minister made the offer privately to the Minority leadership, but the NDC firmly opposed it.
“We made it clear that any NDC member who falls for that will face challenges in their constituency because what is wrong is wrong.
If there is an opportunity for recruitment into the security services, it must follow the proper procedure, ensuring equal opportunity for all qualified Ghanaians,” he asserted.
Mr. Asiedu Nketia revealed that the NDC has lodged a petition with the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) concerning the alleged bribery attempt by the Interior Minister.
He claimed that despite the petition, the government is continuing with the recruitment process, supposedly under the pretense of adhering to legal procedures.
When asked for proof, Mr. Asiedu Nketia pointed to letters sent to party candidates, emphasizing that even those who lost their primaries were not considered for the recruitment.
He added that the NDC has included these letters in their petition to CHRAJ as evidence.
“There is no denial of these facts, and we are insisting that if they believe in the rule of law, they should withdraw those advertisements and wait for CHRAJ to make a determination,” he concluded.