The new appointment made by President Nana Akufo-Addo at the National Security is meant to help the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to capture the national security towards the agenda of breaking the 8-year electoral cycle in the 2024 general elections, former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has said.

Mr Akufo-Addo has appointed Mr Edward Asomani as the new National Security Coordinator. Until his appointment, Mr Asomani, was the Deputy National Security Coordinator.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency Mr Eugene Arhin on Friday August 5.

The confirmation of his appointment is subject to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission, the statement said.

The National Security Coordinator Amb. Maj Gen (Rtd) Francis Adu-Amanfoh, according to the statement, was reassigned with effect from last Monday August 8th, 2022 to act as Special Advisor to the President for the Accra Initiative.

The Accra Initiative was launched in September 2017 by Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo in response to growing insecurity linked to violent extremism in the region.

The President also appointed Nana Attobrah Quaicoe to act, with effect from last Monday 8th August 2022 as Director-General of of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).

“Confirmation of his appointment also being subject to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission,” the statement stressed.

This comes after Mr Akufo-Addo appointed Mr Kwaku Domfeh as Ambassador-designate to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Reacting to these appointments in a statement on Thursday, Martin Amidu said “The appointment by the President of Mr. Edward Asomani, Deputy National Security Co-ordinator, to act as National Security Co-ordinator, with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022 subject to the confirmation of his appointment to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission gives finality to Nana Akufo-Addo’s long game to capture the National Security Secretariat apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections.

“The President by the same press release also appointed Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, Deputy Director-General of the NIB, to act with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022, as the Director-General of National Intelligence Bureau, with his confirmation also being subject to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission as part of Nana Akufo-Addo’s long game to capture the National Intelligence Bureau apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections.”