I would resign if I were the IGP - Dan Botwe

MP for Okere, Dan Botwe

The New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Okere, Dan Kweku Botwe, says he would consider resigning his position if he were the Inspector General of Police.

He said given the paralysis observed on the part of the police at the Atiwa by-election, Ghanaians must speak out and demand a more proactive role maintaining law and order in the country.

According to Dan Botwe, one cannot be in-charge of the police and be happy with the level of lawlessness that went on.

He was speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show and spoke to host, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah.

Mr Dan Botwe said at one of the towns in the constituency, Akwatia, which has only six polling stations, “you had policemen on the ground, you had the topmost police people there, and there was mayhem, people were holding guns, beating people openly and they openly and freely did it in the daytime. …the police were there, our cars were smashed, the police were standing helplessly.”

He claimed a young man by name Darkwa was seen holding locally manufactured guns in both hands and shooting indiscriminately but was never arrested.

The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Baba Jamal, however discounted Mr Botwe's submission, arguing that it was the National Organiser of the opposition NPP, Alhaji Moctar Bamba who publicly declared his intention to bus thugs – Bamba Boys – to Atiwa to intimidate people.

He said it was supporters of the NPP at Abomosu town in Atiwa who mounted a road block precipitating the violence that was witnessed there.

Mr Dan Botwe challenged Baba Jamal's argument, asking why the police did not arrest the so-called Bamba Boys.

In his opinion, the heavily built men that were carried by pick-up trucks, some registered SPD (State Protocol Department) vehicles could not have been supporters of the NPP, for if they were, the impunity and arrogance with which they toured the constituency would have attracted the wrath of the police.

“So all those cars in a convoy of about seven being led by party elders were only Bamba Boys! Why did the police not arrest them and prosecute them as Bamba Boys. It is obvious they were not and I am saying that the police must be professional. You could see in the eyes of some policemen who were professional that they were embarrassed, they were totally embarrassed and it cannot continue” he said.

The former General Secretary of the NPP also rejected arguments by the District Police Commander of Anyinam, DSP John Opoku that the police could not arrest the 'matchomen' because they were not interfering with the electoral process.

Mr Botwe said the argument of the cop was untenable because the presence of the 'matchmen' was suspicious and the police are empowered to arrest people on reasonable suspicion.

Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana