The Interior Minister-nominee, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka has assured Ghanaians of his commitment to confidentiality in matters of national security.

Appearing before Parliament’s Appointments Committee for vetting on Friday, January 23, Muntaka reiterated his readiness to safeguard sensitive information, even at personal cost.

During the session, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin questioned Muntaka’s ability to maintain discretion under pressure.

“Your colleagues I interacted with upon your nomination expressed joy because they say you are very hardworking. But they were quick to say that when your back is against the wall, you can spill. Let me ask you, are you ready to enter your casket with some dirt on you, even when you are innocent, to save the nation?” Afenyo-Markin queried.

• Read also: We’ll ensure police officers on duty have their body cameras on – Muntaka

In response, Muntaka reaffirmed his integrity and commitment. He cited the controversial election of the Speaker of Parliament which caused the invasion of parliament by military personnel among other scenes of rancour.

“I will say that you are asking the Pope. I'll just give one example to reiterate this. I believe that you knew how we elected Mr Speaker into office. Everybody in this country had done everything humanly possible, I believe even including the security agencies, to know which of your guys supported us, and they don't know."

But the Ranking Member of the Committee Mr Afenyo-Markin retorted that “We know.”

Here's what ensued after that;

Interior Minister-nominee, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka: “You don’t know, you can only guess. You cannot say you know.”

Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin: “But do you know?”

Interior Minister-nominee, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka: “I worked with people, and I vowed and told them that not even my wife will know this. I will die with it, and I meant it, and I will die with it. I'm telling you that I'm going to this ministry that is a security zone, an area where you talk less, and you act more. I'm sure you and I in the last few years that we've been in this house, can attest to the fact that there have been so many things between us that no third person has ever known, and I can assure you that no third person will ever know because you can trust me that when I say I am doing this with my honour, I meant I'm doing it on my honour.”

The Member of Parliament for Asawase also pledged to ensure that police personnel are equipped with body cameras to enhance security.

Mr Muntaka acknowledged the widespread public outcry over incidents of police misconduct, which he noted have significantly eroded confidence in the country’s law enforcement agencies.

To address the issue, he proposed a policy requiring all police officers to wear and activate body cameras while performing their official duties.

“We will ensure that if you are a police officer and you have to step out, you must have your body camera on so that it takes away all the ambiguity and the troubles because when you put the body camera on, everywhere you are, you are being recorded, not only you but your surroundings as well, so that if you are on the road extorting money, it will show; if you are brutalizing others, it will show. Whatever you are doing, the body camera will record and show what you are doing,” he explained.