The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has clarified that the military presence at the Accra International Conference Centre during parliamentary proceedings on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, was at the formal request of the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Alban Bagbin.
In a press statement, GAF strongly denied media reports suggesting that military personnel were deployed to interfere with parliamentary business during the Fifth Meeting of the Fourth Session.
The statement emphasised that the deployment was standard procedure whenever Parliament convenes outside its traditional chambers.
The military explained that on Monday, October 21, 2024, Speaker Bagbin, through the Clerk of Parliament, officially requested security assistance from GAF for routine canine and bomb sweeps of the parliamentary venue. These sweeps, conducted on the first sitting day of the week, ensure the safety and security of the facility by checking for explosive devices or harmful substances.
The Ghana Armed Forces urged the public to disregard false claims and called on media outlets to report responsibly, stressing that such misinformation tarnishes the reputation of the military.
“GAF personnel were not present at the Grand Arena to interfere with parliamentary proceedings. Their role was strictly to conduct routine security sweeps,” the statement concluded.
