Gun-Toting Forces At Ayawaso West Wougon: Is The Police Becoming A "Spectator" In The Affairs Of National Security?

The role of National Security in the socio-economic development of Ghana can never be under estimated or downplayed. In fact, it is highest decision making body of security matters and interests in this country and that is why we need to discuss whatever that happened at Ayawaso West during the by-election without partisan biases and sentiments.

The discussions and the commentaries have already taken political dimensions thereby dimming the shine of objectivity, balance, accuracy and the national attention that this case deserves. The usual NPP-NDC rivalry and blame game is not making us to see the real picture of security implications and its rippling effects on Ghana if we fail to address it properly.

What happened at Ayawaso West is beyond the usual NPP-NDC political rivalry and their blame games but one which has the potences to open up the security of this country and provide a leeway for terrorists and other insurgents to take advantage of our poor security situations and arrangements. It can generate security complications and breaches for Ghana by local and external aggressors so we must be worried as well intended Ghanaians and not NPP-NDC affairs. It goes beyond that.

If indeed, the shootings and the brutalities that occurred at Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency was executed by the National Security on the blind side of the police, then it tells how National Security probably undermines the police service and its role of maintaining law and order in this country. It describes the absence of synergy and coordination between the police service and the National Security.

It tells how internal security arrangements are done haphazardly without coordinated and synergised efforts between the police service and the National Security. That in itself constitute security threats and breaches which could lead to a bloody clash between members of security agencies if things go on like this. It puts the police in real potential danger.

It is for a particular reason why the IGP, CID boss and one other COP serve on the national security council. So for the National Security at any point in time to pick an intelligence and execute its own operations as it happened at Ayawaso West on the blind side of the police seriously indicts and undermines the position of the IGP and other two police representatives on the National Security Council. It tells how for all intended purposes the National Security is usurping the role of the police in maintaining law and order, and that is very dangerous to the security of this country.

Yes! It does else the IGP and the two police representatives who are key members of the National Security Council would have been in the known and also be in position to know all those who went to Ayawaso to do whatever they did in the name of National Security whether masked or unmasked. In fact, the police administration would have been in position to know every police officer, his name, service number, the riffle number and the number of ammunition that each of the gun-toting masked forces took to Ayawaso West.

We are much aware of how politicians in this country from both political divides (NPP and NDC) when are in power undermine the police and show gross disrespect towards police chiefs simply because they appoint the IGP and determine the kind of position some people should hold in the police service. These politicians particularly political appointees and members of the ruling party behave as if they own the police service and it's very sad considering turn of events.

The political appointment of the IGP has made these politicians to turn the police into a political chess and a tool of convenience to satisfy their whims and caprices at will. If we have this kind of situation in Ghana, we are likely to have situation just like what happened at Ayawaso West Wuogon whereby everything happened on the blind side of the police though the IGP and the CID boss are key members of the National Security Council.

In all these, who should be blamed? The politicians? I think differently. Our bane as a police service is how some top members of the police hierarchy play political cards and lobby at all cost to become IGP. After giving them the positions, the politicians then turn them to puppets and dictate what the police should do. They see the police as their tool of convenience which they are can use for whichever purposes to satisfy their political greed.

Any police officer who fails to to dance to the rhythm of these politicians, is quickly removed or transferred. For a very long time to come, the police service will continue to be a tool for political convenience for our politicians due to political patronage in the police service until such a time there is more independent way of appointing IGPs with less political influences.

These days in the police service, immediately political tables turn, some police officers as high as COPs struggle to find their bearings.They are quickly branded and associated with certain political parties and either rewarded with key appointments in the police or relegated to the background without recourse to competence. It has become a vicious circle kind of a thing whereby some police officers come to power with political parties and ruling governments for 8 years and go into opposition for another 8 years with them.

I keep asking that because the presidents appoints IGPs so politicians should ride us like Donkeys? Should that be the case? Just because politicians appoint the IGP and determine who should occupy some key positions in the police service so they should turn police officers into door mats and walk over them anyhow? Where then lies the pride of being a police officer with honour and dignity?

If you are police officer, whether a senior or junior rank and you are not ready to entertain these politicians and their nonsense, then be ready to endure victimisations of all kinds, shapes and forms in the police service. Be prepared to go on transfers every now and then. Be ready to sidelined completely and also be prepared to endure undue delays in your promotions particularly from the rank of ACPs and above.

We must look into this case beyond the usual NPP-NDC political rivalry and its power struggles but rather, we should analyse it holistically and ascess its future security implications on this country in wakes of terrorism and insurgence threats within the sub-region as well. Beyond whatever that happened at Ayawaso West on the blind side of police lies the danger that terrorists, rebels, insurgents and other criminals can take advantage of our poor security arrangements and situations to unleash terror on us and that should be our worry

Looks like the police service is becoming more of a "spectator" in the affairs of National Security than a "citizens". There seem to be lack of coordination and synergy between the police and the National Security in terms of internal security arrangements and the consequences is what we saw at Ayawaso West.

We are all at risk. It doesn't matter the kind of political party you belong to.

Ahanta Apemenyimheneba Kwofie III

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