Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, commonly called General Mosquito, has made serious allegations against Ghana’s Interior Minister, Henry Quartey. During an interview with Joy News, Nketia claimed that Quartey attempted to bribe Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) to facilitate the recruitment of 10,000 partisan individuals into the Ghana Police Service.
Mr. Nketia asserted that the minority MPs categorically rejected the offer. He expressed concerns about the implications of allowing such a recruitment process, suggesting it could lead to the deployment of party loyalists at polling stations during elections, undermining the integrity of the electoral process. “If we sit there and just allow this government to just select party members, 10,000 of them, train them and deploy them on election day to maintain peace at polling stations, what will declaration do to avert what is likely to happen?” he questioned.
He further revealed that a list of 10,000 shortlisted candidates is reportedly in the possession of the Interior Minister, who is allegedly seeking ways to ensure their recruitment into the security services. Nketia recounted that Quartey even approached Parliament in an attempt to persuade NDC MPs to allow the recruitment by offering them slots for their constituencies, which was met with outright rejection.
These allegations have sparked significant controversy, raising questions about the integrity of the recruitment process within Ghana’s security agencies as the country approaches the upcoming elections. The NDC’s firm stance against the alleged bribery highlights ongoing tensions between the opposition and the ruling government regarding electoral fairness and security measures.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the government will respond to these serious allegations and what impact they may have on the political landscape in Ghana.