Mahama Will Remove Partisan Officers From Police Service – Sam George

The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George says John Mahama administration will purge partisan officers from the police service when voted back to power.

His comments were on the backdrop of the boycott of their Ayawaso West Wuogon violence first anniversary durbar by the police.

The leadership of Police in Accra refused to dispatch personnel to provide security at the anniversary organised by the opposition National Democratic Congress' (NDC) and other interested organisations on Friday.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. George, said the directive was an indication of the dysfunction in the police service.

“It just tells you how dysfunctional the Ghana Police Service is. Like President Mahama said, when we come back to the government, we will clean out the police service and purge it of the canker that has besieged it under this government.”

“So all those who are politicians within the police service must bear in mind that being a politician comes with a certain effect. When you lose an election, you get out of the place because we will not countenance this any more in this country,” Mr. George declared.

He stressed that “only true professionals will be allowed” into the police service.

There was criticism for the police absence at the durbar which was themed: “Towards Election 2020, Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence, never again”.

The only police officers present were members of former President John Mahama security detail.

The NDC has been critical of the security services and accused the state of state-sponsored vigilantism after the chaos at the by-election.

On January 31, 2019, violence erupted at the by-election held in the constituency meant to replace then sitting Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko, who had died from an illness.

Some National Security Operatives fired gunshots at a polling centre at La Bawaleshie, injuring about six persons believed to be NDC supporters during the election.

There were also security personnel captured brutalising citizens around the polling centre on camera.

—citinewsroom