‘Slay King’ Dapaah Thinks Rising Killings and Armed Robberies Are Fake News

Ghana’s Minister for National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah, has played down the public’s anxiety about growing insecurity in the country as mere political false alarm.

Today, Dapaah told Parliament that the thick atmosphere of fear, driven by crime waves in armed robbery and gun violence is only the result of fear mongering from political parties, particularly referring to the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“Mr Speaker, there seems to be a deliberate attempt by certain individuals to create a false notion of rising insecurity in the country. The facts, however, counters these false notions. For instance, evidence suggests that there is a reduction in crime levels in the country, but I think Mr Speaker, that these false notions of insecurity stem from the deliberate politicisation of issues of national security in the country and it has become more pronounced as we approach the 2020 election,” he said.

According to him, his assessment shows that a false state of insecurity in the country is driven by politicians and that these politicians have usually blown hot air about unleashing violence if they lose at the upcoming polls in December.

“These politicians sometimes openly threaten violence should they lose the election and some also express concern about rising insecurity in the country…this is unacceptable and must be condemned irrespective of where it is coming from.”

Albert Kan Dapaah’s claim is coming barely weeks after MP for Mfantseman, Ekow Quansah was dragged out of his car and shot dead by armed robbers on the Nkusukum-Mankesim high way. Just a few days ago, former Minister of Interior, Cletus Avoka, escaped an assassination attempt.

A Professor of Law at the University of Ghana-Legon was recently brutally killed in his home and several other violent encounters reported across the country.

All over the country, armed robbery has become so rampant that the Asantehene, Otumfuor Osei Tutu ll two weeks ago demanded that the IGP does something about the crime wave. “Since you are here, I want to talk about the rampant killings on our highways of which some MPs have even been affected. People are not comfortable with that. This has created fear and panic among the populace. They [armed robbers] at times block roads and rob people of their belongings,” The Otumfuo told the IGP.

“…I read in the newspapers that there has been a proliferation of small arms among the populace. Why should it be so? If those of us you are supposed to protect are rather acquiring arms then it means they have lost confidence in you. You have to critically look at that. You have to do your work well to ensure peace in the country,” Otumfuo said.

Meanwhile the Ministry of Interior estimates that some 1.1million illicit fire arms are in circulation in the country and there are over 4,000 flashpoints in the country.

Yet, in spite of all these statistics and disturbing sense of insecurity, the man in charge of national security thinks the citizenry, including the Asantehene are blowing hot air.

Recently, Kan-Dapaah compromised National Security badly when he played puppet for a “slay queen” while attending a security conference in Europe.

While attending the said security conference, the National Security Minister had gotten in touch with his mistress, later identified as Chantelle Kujawu, for extra-marital lovey-dovey that the slay queen made sure to capture with her phone camera.