During Wednesday’s parliamentary session, Speaker Alban Bagbin refuted claims by Builsa North MP James Agalga regarding the origins of the decentralised security services recruitment process. The clarification came amid debates over the tragic military recruitment exercise at El-Wak Sports Stadium, where six applicants lost their lives.
Agalga, who chairs Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, suggested that the decentralised recruitment model was introduced by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), arguing that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had previously centralised the process. He further claimed that decentralisation was restored only after the NDC returned to power.
Midway through his remarks, Speaker Bagbin interrupted, stating clearly that Agalga’s assertion was incorrect. He repeated the correction for emphasis, underscoring the need for factual accuracy in the discussion.
Attempting to clarify, Agalga explained that he was referring to a prolonged period during which decentralisation had been neglected before its recent revival. The Speaker, however, advised against raising points that were open to debate, urging him to focus on undisputed matters. Agalga complied and shifted the discussion to other relevant points.
The parliamentary debate occurred as lawmakers reviewed the suspension of the military recruitment exercise following the El-Wak stampede. Agalga acknowledged that the Defence Ministry had already halted recruitment to allow investigations, confirming the ongoing response to the tragedy.
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