In their quest to deny Joy News’ undercover investigation premiered on Thursday, officers of the state have been entangled in conflicting responses. 

The undercover investigation titled “The Militia in the Heart of the Nation” had among things said a former seat of government, Osu Castle, was the headquarters of De-Eye Group, a pro-NPP militia. It also said the National Security and the Presidency were aware of the existence of this group, that the group held its end of year party on December 21 at the Castle Gardens.

On Sunday The Minister of State in-charge-of National Security, Mr Bryan Acheampong in a Facebook post confirmed the group held its end of year party at the Castle Gardens.

 “We were aware of their [the militia] end of your party at the castle gardens.”

This contradicts earlier claims by the Director of Communication at the Presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin, who told Joy News neither the president nor the National Security knew about this Militia. 

“The President has no knowledge of the alleged activities of this said group, let alone sanctions their activities. My checks from National Security have revealed that no such group is operating from the Castle,” he told the lead investigator on this project, Manasseh Azure Awuni. 

It also remains unclear how the militia could have been cleared by October as claimed by the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and still hold an end of year party in the Castle on December 21 as claimed in the documentary.

The undercover documentary and related matters

The undercover work carried out by Manasseh Azure Awuni, disclosed how a former bodyguard of the president led the training of the militia group, De-Eye, on the grounds of public property.

Operating for the past two years, Manasseh found that the group had already provided security for a number of NPP functions of which the president had taken part in.

A leader of the group, Nana Wireko Addo in the undercover work, after one of such functions, conveyed President Akufo-Addo’s warm impressions of the group when they provided security for an event at the International Conference Centre in 2018.

The documentary has come as a shock to the nation, especially at a time when President Akufo-Addo has himself tasked the two leading political parties – NPP and NDC – to meet and find a solution to the party militia menace in the country.

The Minority in Parliament are calling for the immediate resignation of the President saying he has “lost all moral right” to occupy the highest office of the land.