Former Interior Minister and former Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central, Henry Quartey, has expressed disappointment over what he describes as a deliberate attempt by security personnel to prevent him from accessing the site of the recent building collapse at Accra New Town.
Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Quartey recounted how he rushed from Tema after receiving distress calls about the incident, only to be blocked by officers upon arrival.
“I started receiving calls around 5:15pm, but I was in Tema and there was terrible traffic. Around six, the calls intensified so I became terrified,” he said, adding that he later saw a video indicating the collapse had occurred at the Experimental School.
Determined to reach the scene quickly, he abandoned his vehicle due to heavy traffic and continued the journey on a motorbike.
“I parked my car close to Mallam Atta Market and jumped on a motorbike. That should tell you the urgency with which I treated the issue,” he noted.
However, upon arrival, Mr. Quartey said he was denied access despite identifying himself and following established security protocols.
“Having been a deputy Interior Minister, National Security Minister, Regional Minister and Chairman of REGSEC, I know all the protocols… so I asked who was in charge,” he explained. “But they blocked the place with a chain and said nobody was allowed to go there.”
He described the situation as both surprising and troubling, particularly after a senior officer identified himself as Director of Operations at National Security.
“I thought he would even accord me some courtesy, but he was rather hesitant. Then I realised it was deliberate,” he stated.
Mr. Quartey said the situation nearly escalated, given his long-standing relationship with constituents in the area.
“There would have been chaos because that is my constituency and the boys know me. So just to avoid tension, I asked them to calm down. In 12 years as MP, I ensured there was never a fight or chaos,” he said.
He commended the current MP for the area, Abdul Rauf Tubazu, for intervening and escorting him closer to the scene.
“He showed good leadership and acted as a mature politician. I must commend him,” Mr. Quartey added.
Despite this, he said security personnel continued to restrict his movements, even when he positioned himself at a distance that would not interfere with rescue efforts.
“I found a place that would not interfere with the rescue work, but about 15 policemen started shouting ‘go, go’,” he recounted. “I didn’t like the way I was being addressed even if I wasn’t supposed to stand there, they could have engaged me properly.”
According to him, the situation escalated when additional officers and soldiers arrived and ordered everyone away from the area.
“I just decided to walk away because I didn’t want to create a scene,” he said.
His comments come in the wake of the tragic building collapse at Accra New Town, which claimed three lives while about 20 people were hospitalised.
Mr. Quartey further claimed that the justification given, that he was standing near a manhole, appeared inconsistent, raising suspicion about the real motive behind the actions.
“They later moved a machine to where I was standing, saying it was a manhole. So I felt maybe they were serious about working, but also it looked like a deliberate way to take me out,” he said.
He also raised concerns about how access routes to the site were being managed.
“I saw they were blocking access with earth-moving machines, and I was wondering how an ambulance or any vehicle could get to the site,” he added.
The former minister said he eventually left the scene to prevent further tension, especially as some residents began expressing anger over how he was treated.
“I know my constituency, the boys were not happy. If I had stayed longer, it would have been a different story,” he noted.
Reflecting on the incident, Mr. Quartey questioned whether his presence at the scene was unwarranted.
“Let’s put aside my position, does it mean as a former MP, when something like this happens, I shouldn’t be there?” he asked.
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