DCE orders barrier cleared

Information reaching The Chronicle indicates that the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Pru, Mr. Masawud Mohammed has created bad blood between his administration and that of the police after ordering the removal of the Prang police barrier on Sunday morning, without the knowledge of the District Police Commander, DSP Alex Donkor.

The DCE, according to reports, was personally at the barrier to supervise its removal, whilst police personnel were at the post conducting their daily duties. It was further disclosed that one of the police officers, Daniel Nunekpeku, has been feeding the DCE with wrong information about other police personnel in the district, as he has been reported to be attending meetings with top NDC executives in the constituency.

When contacted, Hon. Masawud Mohammed denied odering the removal of the barrier, but told this Reporter that he had a discussion with a police officer, whose name he did not mention, on Saturday evening after returning from the orientation service organized for DCEs in Accra.

He said, during the discussion, it was observed that the people in the area were having problems with the presence of the barrier, and were planning to dismantle it themselves, so he asked the said Police Inspector to advise him on the necessary action to be taken. “My brother, have you seen a police barrier being manned by civilians before”, Hon. Masawud Mohammed asked, adding that the Prang barrier is sometimes manned by civilians.

According to him, he knows the police officer who reported the matter to The Chronicle, but since God is in control, he would be judged according to his deeds.

However, the Pru District Police Commander, DSP Alex Donkor expressed disappointment at the attitude of the DCE for the removal of the barrier, without informing the District Police command. He said, though the barrier is not an approved one, it helps to check criminal activities and to control traffic.

DSP Donkor emphasized that his men told him the DCE was personally present to witness the removal of the barrier, so he did not see the reason why he (the DCE) denied using his political authority against the will of the people in the district.

According to him, the barrier was erected for purposes of checking armed robbery among others, since the district is noted for rampant armed robbery cases.

He alleged that Inspector Daniel Nunekpeku leaks information to Hon. Masawud, which has created bad blood between the DCE and the police administration.

The District Police Commander continued that the DCE is politicizing issues of security in the area, based on the information given to him by the Police Inspector.

He said it was unfair for Mr. Masawud Mohammed, who is the Head of the District Security Council (DISEC), to consult the said Police informant alone, without calling a meeting of all members of DISEC to deal with the issue. DSP Donkor told The Chronicle that he was yet to report the conduct of the DCE to the Brong-Ahafo Police commander.