AFTERMATH OF THE ATIWA BYE-ELECTION: Calls For The Igp To Resign Are Baseless, Police Pro

The Police Service has described as baseless, calls for the resignation of the Inspector General of Police after the just ended bye-election in Atiwa. There were reports of instances when some personnel from the police service looked on unconcerned as thugs wielding arms and other dangerous weapons attacked innocent people. While some also illegally barricaded major roads in the full glare of the police.
The New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament of Okere, Dan Kweku Botwe is on record to have said that he would resign if he were the IGP given the paralysis observed on the part of police, saying one cannot to be in charge of the police and be happy with the level of lawlessness that went on in Atiwa.
The New Patriotic Party has also decried the inability of Ghana’s security services to provide adequate security. A statement issued in Accra said the same security situation was witnessed during separate bye-elections held in Akwatia and Chereponi in the eastern and northern regions respectively. The statement further stated that “unless this threatening development is sincerely and boldly addressed by government, the country stands the danger of violent elections in 2012 when 230 constituencies will need state security.”
But speaking in an interview with X FM, the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendant of Police, Kwesi Ofori discounted these claims. He said as far as the police service is concerned, security during the bye-election in Atiwa was top-notch. He said the police provided a solid contingent that ensured a congenial atmosphere for the election.
Superintendant Kwesi Ofori said the service’s main responsibility was to protect the electoral process, protect all the ballot boxes as well as collation centres and avoid situations where people will hijack ballot boxes. They also were supposed to ensure adequate security for the Electoral Commission to do its work. He said these responsibilities were carried out without fear or favour.
He therefore said calls on the IGP to resign are baseless as the service is proud of their achievements during the bye-election.
Superintendent Kwesi Ofori however challenged the political parties that are calling for the head of the IGP to reflect on their individual roles and tell whether they abided by their own code of conduct. “All the political parties had a responsibility to ensure that events of this nature are than in a peaceful manner. They are to adhere on the code they all agreed on. We played our part, they should also have a somber reflection on what they did,” Superintendant Kwesi Ofori said.
He assured Ghanaians of a very peacefull general election in 2012 saying “we have the experience, we have the records and I believe that come 2012, it will be a better scenario.

Abena Asiedua Tenkorang