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06.03.2019 Headlines

Ayawaso C'mms: Police Conduct Questionable – IGP

Ayawaso C'mms: Police Conduct Questionable – IGP
06.03.2019 LISTEN

Inspector General of Police, David Asante Apeatu has admitted that police officers deployed during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election did not act well enough as expected of them.

According to him, the conduct of the national operatives during the election has exposed major lapses within his outfit that need to be urgently addressed to forestall future occurrences.

Many have raised concerns about the professionalism of police officers following clashes that occurred between some masked officers and unarmed citizens during the polls.

Security analysts have called for more efforts to equip the security agencies.

Testifying before the Emile Short Commission on Tuesday, Mr. Asante- Apeatu was of the view that his men could have acted better adding that the evidence adduced before the commission confirms that the police service has not been satisfactory in its dealings.

“This commission has brought a lot of things to the fore so many things and lessons we are learning from. [I will take some actions]. I think there are some other things that went wrong. The way the operations were conducted leaves much to be desired.”

Ayawaso election: I wasn't aware of National Security operation – IGP

The Inspector General of Police, also said that he was not informed about the deployment of the National Security personnel for a special operation at La Bawaleshie during the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye-election.

According to him, he only got to know of the presence of the personnel after violence erupted during the by-election.

While admitting that the police are in charge of internal security, he said it was not necessary that they are informed of every operation undertaken by the National Security in the country.

The IGP answered “Yes and No” to a question on whether he finds it essential for the police to be informed of all internal security operations to be undertaken by other security agencies.

“[I agree] If the operation is not going to be beyond the Ghana Police Service, I think we should be informed. [I don't agree] because, the National Security Council is the governing body of all the intelligence agencies in the country. The intelligence that they gather, they do disseminate, we receive reports from them and we act but I believe that sometimes it is on a need to know basis so they have the prerogative not to inform the Ghana Police Service,” he said.

Helplessness of police service worrying – Kwesi Aning

A Security Analyst with the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping and Training Centre, Dr. Kwesi Aning has bemoaned the helplessness of the Ghana Police Service in executing its core mandate.

He argued that the mandate and independence of the Service has been so undermined such that it makes it difficult for the police to prevent crimes such as political violence.

Dr. Aning believes the current turn of events is a result of the non-availability of resources needed to enable these agencies to deliver on their core mandate.

He also identified the multiplicity of parallel security institutions as another challenge to the Police Service.

“We have institutions that can and ought to have prevented the development all the way to where we are. Unfortunately, those institutions have not been able to do so. If you read Act 350 (1970) that is the Ghana Police Services Act, the core functions of the police is to protect lives and properties but since the 1960s, that has almost become impossible.”

“Every commission of inquiry that has been established concerning the Ghana Police Service dysfunctionality and its challenges have consistently spoken about the need to strengthen the capacity; but even more importantly, the independence of the police service to be able to perform its statutory functions. The service over time has been undermined to such an extent that we have a hollow institution, incapable, unwilling, and frightened to prevent,” he added.

–citinewsroom

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