<<Print>>

The Mahama-led National Democratic Congress, apparently employing the services of the BNI, and using the state-owned media, Daily Graphic, as well as some NDC ‘rented press’, yesterday sought to create the alarming impression that a routine training exercise for security detail of NPP Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, and his running mate, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, amounted to security threat for the nation.

The BNI therefore claimed that three South African ex-policemen who were offering the training were arrested because they were training people to compromise the security of the country.

But, all the 15 people who were undergoing the training are known members of the security detail of Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia, while the training was also being conducted by credible experts specialized in VIP Protection, under the auspices of Delta Security, a licensed Ghanaian security company.

In fact, Interior Minister Proper Bani was yesterday quoted by Johannesburg based SAfm 104-107 to have rejected claims in a section of the Ghanaian media that the South African nationals arrested are terrorists.

The minster confirmed to the radio station that the three are licensed security experts who were training some Ghanaian private security personnel.

“They are owners of Unfied Risk in South Africa, they are known for their international expertise in security matters, they are harmless people, not terrorists,” Prosper Bani confirmed in an interview with SAfm’s news anchor Sakina Kamwendo.

The Interior Minister sharply rejected claims that the three were smuggled into the country by the NPP to engage in terrorist acts, explaining that they travelled on business visas, in cooperation with Delta Security, a registered security company in Ghana which operates as a business entity that offers lawful security services to many orgainsations in Ghana.

The minster’s declaration corroborates the accounts given by the NPP which insists the presence of the three men in the country was not for any act “that can be said remotely to threaten the country’s security.”

“Known security detail belonging to the NPP’s presidential and vice presidential candidates were being given routine training by these security experts specialized and licensed to offer VIP Protection. In deed, the two personal drivers of the candidates, as well as official photographer of Nana Akufo-Addo, were part of 15 persons undergoing the training, which took place on the premises of a well-known, licensed, Ghanaian security company,” the party said yesterday in a statement signed by Nana Akomea, the Communications Director.

The statement explained that the three South Africans arrived in the country on Business visas, and that training of personnel in VIP Protection is part of their business “and therefore no deception was intended.”

“Is it not alarming, however, that a case which, according to the BIN, is still under investigation, has been leaked to pro-government news papers, obviously in a bid to help the NDC government score cheap political points?” the NPP statement asked.

It added: “It is our firm conviction that the security agencies, if they are to enjoy the confidence of the people, must always be seen to be non-partisan and professional in the discharge of their mandates.”

The statement drew attention to the fact that unlike some other countries where the State takes responsibility for providing security for opposition leaders, their counterparts in Ghana are responsible for providing and maintaining their own personal security.

“In an age where a radio programme host by name ‘Mugabe, on Montie FM, a radio station belonging to the stable of the ruling party, has stated that Nana Akufo-Addo will die before June this year, we in the NPP will not take any chances, whatsoever, with the security of our leaders. That threat by the radio station host has, unsurprisingly, not been deemed by the authorities to be an act that could threaten our nation’s security,” the statement concluded.

On March 20, BNI officials arrested the three South African ex-police officers, Major Ahmed Shaik Hazis (Rtd.), 54; WO/Denver Dwayhe Naidu (Rtd.), 39; and Captain Mlungiseleli Jokani (Rtd.) 45, at the El Capitano Hotel in Agona Duakwa in the Central region.

According to a BNI report, “The trio, all ex-police officers were engaged in training fifteen young men in various military drills, including unarmed combat, weapon handling, VIP protection techniques and rapid response maneuvers”.

But, Perry Okudzeto, a deputy communications director of the NPP, insisted yesterday the three men were not in the country to train the NPP’s security operatives in any military tactics, as claimed by the BNI.

He added that the three South African nationals were in the country on the invitation of a registered security company in Ghana, adding that this was done legally.

Major Ahmed Shaik Hazis (Rtd.), leader of the team, served in the South African Police Service for nineteen years.

He was selected as one of the first members within SAPS to be trained as a VIP Protector, and became one of the founder members of the South Africa Police V.I.P Protection unit. This unit is still responsible for the protection of the State President, Cabinet Ministers and Foreign Dignitaries.

Hazis was later appointed the commander of the VIP Protection Unit KZN and the co-coordinator of Presidential Protection Unit in Kwa-Zulu Natal.

During this period he inter-acted and worked with many foreign protectors and visited numerous countries where he gained valuable international experience.

His specialties included operational planning and management of major events. He was also responsible for the in-service training of all protectors based in Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Hazis obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel within the SAPS. Since leaving the service in 1999 Chris has been involved in high profile dignitary protection, operational management and specialist consultancy within the private sector. `

He was in Ghana two weeks ago, to offer protection to Facebook and Microsoft executives travelling to the country.