Deputy Defence Minister, Major Derick Oduro (Rtd), has accused Ghanaian media houses of inciting public hatred against parliamentarians.

According to him, the media projects MPs “as if we are from Afghanistan, as if we are from Congo River basin, who have been brought to come and put up here [Ghana] to serve the nation”.

“You voted for us [and] you are supposed to love us, get us closer to you but you hate Parliamentarians and it is partly because some of you the media, you incite the general public against us, we must be frank” he said.

The legislator said this in an interaction with parliamentary press corps on concerns that have been raised about government’s decision to deploy 200 Police officers to serve as bodyguards to MPs.

The decision, as announced by Interior Minister Ambrose Dery, follows the murder of Mfantseman MP, Ekow Quansah Hayford.

The late MP was shot to death by armed highway robbers on the Abeadze Dominase – Abeadze Duadzi – Mankessim Road on his return from a campaign trip.

This has sparked discussions about public safety, with some advising that the provision of personal bodyguards to MPs will reduce police operational capacity.

But the Nkoranza North MP claims that the growing concerns are misnomers that result from agenda that has been set by the media.

“If the Interior Minister is saying there are enough officers to provide security for MPs, as well as ensure the safety of the entire nation, do you want more MPs to be killed before we ask for security for them.

“I don’t think you are happy that our brother [Ekow] Kwansah [Hayford] has been killed, or you are shedding crocodile tears,” he added.

He maintains that government’s decision to provide personal security to MPs is constitutional, and that the move will have no adverse effects on operations of the Police force.

source:myjoyonline