I Fully Support Providing Extra Security Protection For MPs - Kweku Baako

Seasoned Journalist, Kweku Baako Jnr. has called on government to provide extra security for all Parliamentarians in the country.

His call comes on the heels of arguments over whether or not Members of Parliament should be given security escort following the sudden demise of Mfantseman MP, Ekow Quansah Hayford.

Hon. Ekow Quansah Hayford was shot dead by highway armed robbers in the Central Region on his return from a campaign trip.

The robbers reportedly shot him after they realized he is a Member of Parliament.

His death has aroused calls on the security services to beef up security for all Parliamentarians in the country but some critics have kicked against it.

The Editor-in-Chief of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt has raised an objection to the assertions.

He argued that the MPs are partly to blame for the crime-related activities in the country, asserting some of them are behind landguards who violently attack innocent people and involved in other offences against the citizenry and the State at large.

''Are the Parliamentarians involved in landguardism not a part of the reasons why the country is unsafe? Are the Members of Parliament fighting with themselves not contributors to the insecurity in the country? If they do their work well and we all behave well, we will all have confidence in the nation and the government," he said on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'' on Tuesday, October 13, 2020.

But Kweku Baako disagrees with those opposing the provision of targeted security detail for the legislators.

Speaking to Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' on Wednesday, October 14, Mr. Baako asserted that the security of the MPs should be government's top priority.

"It's not mutually exclusive to implement programmes and policies that will improve the general security situation in the country and give a targeted security protection for the members of the legislature, some of whom already have. Some are Ministers, some are Deputy Ministers and the leadership of the House across the divide; they have. So, already, we see a situation of some discrimination if you look in that wider context". 

" . . I wonder why the rest of the legislators who also needs some form of protection should become a debate thrown out into the public space so that if you're not strong or have your own conviction, then it means you should run away from that kind of heat. Look, I am in full support of the provision of security protection for Members of Parliament," he posited.

Mr. Baako further lent the words of former President Jerry John Rawlings to the critics who still insist MPs should not be given Police escort saying this ''populist nonsense must give way to popular sense''.