Accra Police Chiefs Visit NPP, NDC

COP Dr Dampare addressing  regional executives of the NPP

The Accra Regional Police Command has called on the executives of the two major political parties in the country as part of efforts to strengthen ties between the police and the political parties.

The visit was also part of efforts to make the upcoming elections peaceful.

Commissioner of Police Dr George Akuffu Dampare, the Regional Police Commander, who led the delegation comprising all the divisional commanders within Accra,  first called on the regional executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) before proceeding to the regional headquarters of the ruling National Democratic Congress(NDC).

The regional commander in a statement at the office of the NPP said the meeting was the first in a series aimed at establishing regular interaction between the police and other stakeholders to ensure that they did not engage in any activity which could disrupt peace and security in the region.

“Soon political parties will be engaging in campaigns to seek the mandate of the people and it is the responsibility of the police to ensure law and order. We are here to share ideas on the meeting held three weeks ago and to establish a cordial relationship to have access to each other,” the police commander said.

The call, he said, would also offer executives of the political parties the opportunity to state their expectations of the police as well as share with the police their concerns and other security concerns before they escalate.

Police Not Partisan
He averred that the police cannot help any political party to win any election in this country as being perceived by the public.

“The police administration is made up of different sets of people who belong to different political affiliations but because the police are not allowed to engage in active politics unless personnel put away the uniform, it is not seen.

“We have personnel with different political backgrounds in the service, but we strive to be professional, firm, objective and transparent so that the integrity of the service will not be lost,” he added.

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He urged the political parties to have faith in the police and strive to support the police to maintain peace before, during and after the elections.

Commendation
The Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Honourable Ishmael Ashitey, in a statement, commended the regional commander and his entourage for the partnership that he had established between the political parties.

He said anytime a party was in opposition, it often suspected the activities of the police, adding that but this engagement had given the NPP hope and trust in the police and they believed that the police would ensure fairness and equity in the discharge of their duties during the elections.

Hon Ashitey assured the command of NPP's readiness to work closely with the police to ensure peace in the region.

The leadership of the party also appealed to the police to ensure that members put on their name tags during the elections so that personnel who act unprofessionally at the polling station level can be reported to their superiors.

Mr Stanley Adjiri Blankson, a member of the council of elders at the regional office, also appealed to the police to involve the other security services in their deliberations.

“We have suffered enough in the hands of Customs and Fire Service officials who are sent to the polling centres to ensure security in the past, so please engage them also to ensure peace for mother Ghana,” he said.

At the office of the National Democratic Congress, Mr Ade Coker, the Regional Chairman, said there was the need for political parties to send the message of peace being preached by the police to their members at the grassroots.

He promised that his party would not engage any vigilante group to create problems during the elections.

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey
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