There was no political Agenda in Deploying Military to Volta Region –Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo Dankwa has dismissed allegations that the deployment of security personnel in the Volta Region was politically motivated as being suggested by the opposition NDC.

He noted that, security officials being dispatched to Ghana’s border areas were not to intimidate anyone, but to fight terrorism.

According to the President, the deployment of 1,000 military personnel nationwide, of which 163 were in the Volta Region, helped in neutralising the threat of terrorism and imported COVID-19 cases.

President Akufo-Addo said these at a durbar of Chiefs of the Anlo State during a day's working visit.

"The Volta Region was not singled out for any political operation and there was certainly no political or ethnic agenda.

"We live in a difficult neighbourhood where terrorist activities have become every day matters for many countries in the region especially and regrettably in our immediate northern neighbour Burkina Faso.

"That we have so far been spared the ravages of the terrorists, it is the result of the hard work and constant vigilance of our security services and the grace of the Almighty but we have to be on constant alert and if and when we have to tighten our security along our borders. It is my responsibility to do so and I will do so,"

Following the deployment of the military to border areas of the country, the NPP government was criticised for purportedly targeting certain ethnic groups, with aim of disenfranchising them, in the run-up to Ghana’s elections.

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The minority accused the government of trying to intimidate residents of these areas – supposedly the stronghold of the NDC – in a scheme to reduce their participation in the country’s electoral activities

Due to this, Mp for Ho West and Chairman of the Volta Caucus, Emmanuel Bedzrah, speaking at the party's press briefing at Aflao in the Volta Region threatened a ‘retaliation’ if the security personnel were not withdrawn.

The NDC’s General Secretary, had also accused the NPP government targeting the opposition’s ‘territory’, with other critics labelling the government ‘tribalistic’

But President Akufo-Addo said, the accusations levelled at his government are untrue.

He noted that the Volta Region remained an "integral part of the Republic of Ghana and military deployments in the region cannot be described as an invasion" and condemned the "frenzy" with which some social media users resorted to falsifying the situation using false media material.

The president further implored Ghanaians to be circumspect in making commentaries, in order not to ruin the unity Ghana is blessed with