De-Eye group not a threat to national security – Bryan Acheampong

The Minister of State-in-charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong has said that the existence of De-eye group, a company alleged to be training pro-government militias, does not pose any security threat to the state.

He said the government is aware of all the activities undertaken by the company and is convinced that the group is not a vigilante group.

“At no time did we see these people conducting any training regime that we will consider a security threat. You can be sure, that we have the men, masked and unmasked to suppress any threat to our peace and security if indeed there is one,” He said in a Facebook post.

“Nobody, seeing these innocent job seeking young men and women can conclude that they are a vigilante group or militia. Infact they don’t pass for a school cadet,” he added.

Joy FM’s Manasseh Azure produced a video documentary recently that showed the group alleged to be members of a private militia, De-Eye training.

It was reported in the documentary that the group was aligned to the New Patriotic Party government.

The government has since denied the report and disassociated itself from the group and its activities although it was reported that the group undertook its training activities within the Osu Castle which was until 2013, the seat of government.

Bryan Acheampong, in the Facebook post, indicated that as far as the government is concerned, the group is a private job recruitment agency only involved in securing jobs for unemployed young people at a fee.

“We did all the works and assured ourselves that De Eye group was not a Vigilante Group(truest form and interpretation), Militia, or criminal organization.

Importantly we did not classify or see their operation as a threat to the state and or government.

Indeed we are privy to every facet of their operations which primarily involves

1. Soliciting young unemployed persons

2. Writing to companies and agencies for job openings

3. Seeking to Place their young unemployed clients into employment opportunities

4. Charging them a fee for their services

Bryan Acheampong further explained that the CEO of the organization,  Nana Wireko alias Choman who is a former presidential bodyguard started the company from the Castle but was sent out of the place in October 2018.

“We are also aware that Nana Wireko alias Choman started his company from his former Secretariat at the castle where we warned him on two occasions and arrested him, threw him out of the office and shut it down in October on our third encounter with him. It has not come to our notice that he’d had access to the office since…Their new office is located at Dzowulu,” he said.

He also revealed that some persons continue to visit the erstwhile seat of government in search of the company although it has relocated.

“We are also aware that due to their extensive marketing efforts on TV, radio, website and their placement success rate, a lot of unsuspecting unemployed continued to visit the castle In search of De Eye group.”

Based on the documentary footages that showed individuals belonging to the group holding meetings on the Castle’s lawn, Bryan Acheampong said persons in charge of the facility after it was declassified as a security zone, must be made to answer questions

“Those responsible for managing the castle lawn must answer why they allowed these people on their space. Since its no longer a security installation our interest ended when we determined the purpose of gathering and satisfied ourselves extensively that they pose no threats.”