Police Service ask NPP, NDC to allow them do their job, unveils strategic interventions for election security

The Ghana Police Service has called on the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to allow them to carry out their law enforcement duties.

The police have assured the public that it has put effective measures in place to ensure public order during all periods, including pre, during and post-elections.

The agency has urged both parties to offer constructive criticism in support of the police's professional work in accordance with their constitutional mandate.

The police held a meeting with the NPP and NDC leadership on April 17, 2023, following press statements and petitions from both parties calling for the arrest of certain individuals over alleged offensive comments.

During the meeting, both parties were given the opportunity to air their grievances, and the police briefed them on two strategic interventions introduced to manage election and politically related incidents.

The first strategic intervention is the establishment of the Police Election Security Secretariat, which works with all political parties and stakeholders to enhance the management of security for all elections in the country.

“The first strategic intervention shared with them is the establishment of the Police Election Security Secretariat to work with all political parties and other stakeholders to enhance the management of security for all elections in the country. This is a complete departure from the old order where an election security task force was put together just some months before the general elections. Since its creation over a year ago, the Police Election Security Secretariat has worked with the various political parties in their respective internal elections from the polling station, through the constituency to the national executive elections. The Secretariat is currently working with both parties on their parliamentary and presidential primaries,” said the police.

The second intervention is the setting up of a dedicated legal team to subject all politically related incidents to legal scrutiny before any police action is taken.

“The second intervention is the setting up of a dedicated legal team to subject all politically related incidents to legal scrutiny to establish whether there are elements of crime or otherwise before any Police action is taken. The Police will therefore not intervene in any situation where there is no criminality involved,” the police added.

The police provided updates on recent incidents, including the arrest of 14 members of the NPP for disturbances during their constituency elections at Enchi and the arrest of 9 out of the 16 wanted individuals for disturbances at the national youth and women organizer polls of the NDC at Cape Coast.

An update was also provided on the status of the 2020 general election related cases including Techiman South and Odododiodio constituencies with the public to be informed on these cases in the course of the week.

The police have urged Ghanaians to assist them in creating an independent police service that serves the greater good of the nation and not any individual or group.

The agency has reassured the public of its commitment to maintaining peace and order throughout the country at all times including elections.