During the vetting of Deputy Minister of Defence-designate Ernest Brogya Genfi on February 28, 2025, he was required to address and account for a social media post he made, in which he alleged the training of a vigilante group linked to the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
In the post, dated November 2024, prior to the general elections, Brogya Genfi claimed that the Delta Force vigilante group had reformed and was being trained at the Bondase military training camp.
Furthermore, he asserted that this alleged regrouping of the vigilante group was a deliberate attempt to undermine the 2024 elections, urging the US Embassy in Ghana to take action.
“Dear U.S. Embassy Ghana, Did you know that the bandit Delta Force militant group of the NPP has regrouped? If not, there are credible reports that over 100 of them are currently under training at the Bondase military training camp, a centre where you assisted the Armed Forces in rebuilding and equipping. We all know the timing of these trainings suggests some sinister motives towards undermining the elections and our democracy. Let’s protect Ghana’s democracy,” the Facebook post dated November 3, 2024 read.
When asked by Afenyo-Markin if he had evidence to substantiate his accusations against the party, Brogya Genfi responded that he had acquired the information based on intelligence received. However, he acknowledged that he had not verified the claim before publicly making the statement.
He subsequently backtracked on his allegation, acknowledging his wrongdoing in making such claims.
Read their conversation below:
Afenyo-Markin: In November 2024, you are quoted to have alleged that the NPP was training Delta Force militants at the Bondase military camp which was a facility we had with support from the US government. Upon raising these concerns, you wrote an open letter to the US Embassy suggesting that such actions could undermine the elections. First, did you write to the US Embassy on this matter?
Brogya Genfi: No, it was a Facebook post. It was an open statement and I didn’t formally write to them.
Afenyo-Markin: The allegation itself, did you have a basis for it that indeed it was the NPP Delta Force militants who were being trained at Bondase military camp? Did you have evidence or basis or it was a political statement…
Brogya Genfi: It was based on some information that had come to the attention of the directorate that I worked with.
Afenyo-Markin: Did you verify that information prior to you putting it out?
Brogya Genfi: As you rightly stated, it was in the heat of the campaign and so once that disturbing information was received, I thought that should make it public so that if something of that nature was happening, it could be stopped.
Afenyo-Markin: Having come to terms with the fact that indeed you did not validate the information nor did you verify same, what have you to say to Ghanaians in respect of that discretion you exercised?
Brogya Genfi: We all operate in this space and are all humans. We may get it wrong sometimes and so even though I did not pursue the matter and had no rebuttals, once I did not have physical evidence of NPP Delta Force vigilantes training at Bondase, going forward we need to cross-check and recheck information before putting it out.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
