Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of National Security, says he is shocked to learn that the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) has detained an aviation security officer.
He stated that despite the fact that the incident occurred, the Airports Company's actions were not justified.
Awudu Basit, a security guard, was arrested for requesting a search warrant at the Kumasi Airport for the Minister of National Security.
GACL said that the security guard's actions had hurt the company's reputation and integrity, so they decided to stop him.
The management of GACL wrote in the interdiction letter that was seen by The Fourth Estate, "You were assigned to perform airside patrol duties at the Kumasi Airport on September 8, 2022, and you saw the Minister of National Security emerging from the VVIP Lounge to board Africa World Airline Flight at approximately 1430 hours."
According to reports, you approached the Hon. Minister and demanded that he be subjected to a pre-boarding search in front of the VVIP, which ultimately led to the minister's embarrassment.
Since then, the Ghana Airports Company's management has launched an investigation into the events that led to the incident.
However, Mr. Kan-Dapaah expressed surprise, in an exclusive interview with The Fourth Estate, that the GACL management punished the security guard.
I'm surprised by how things have turned out. He stated, "There was absolutely no disrespect."
He claimed that The Fourth Estate was the first source he had heard about the arrest of the security guard and that he had not seen the letter.
I was in the waiting room for more than forty minutes without him asking to screen me. However, he demanded to search me just as I was about to board, in the full spotlight of so many people.
He told The Fourth Estate, "Last Monday, an official from Ghana Airports came to my office to apologize, and I did explain that there was no need for an apology because the officer did not disrespect me."
He pleaded with the Airport Company to overturn the security guard's detention.
According to the letter, Mr. Basit's interdiction takes effect on September 9, 2022, "in accordance with Article 17 (e) of the collective agreement."
The security guard, Mr. Awudu Basit, would receive two-thirds of his salary during his interrogation, according to the letter, which was signed by the Group Executive of Human Capital and Office Services, R. S. Tagoe.
Pamela Djamson Tettey, the managing director of the Ghana Airports Company, stated in a letter to The Fourth Estate that management had reversed its decision to imprison Mr. Awudu Basit.
“Management had reconsidered the interdiction of AVSEC officer, Basit, following further consultations and facts which have since come to its attention,” the letter to the Kotoka International Airport workers' union read.
