Accra, Sept. 8 GNA - The minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Tuesday called on the Police administration to discharge its responsibilities with utmost professionalism devoid of third party interferences.

The group claimed known NPP members and supporters were being harassed and detained daily while National Democratic Congress (NDC) members, who are alleged to be behind violent attacks, were left untouched.

Mr William Ofori Boafo, Member of Parliament for Akropong and Minority spokesperson on Defence and Interior, expressed these sentiments when he spoke at a press conference on alleged discrimination, biases and selective justice on the part of the Police in the handling of recent violence in some parts of the country. He claimed that when security officers were identified to have taken sides in certain cases, the Minister of the Interior did not cause investigations into such matters, but jumped to their defence. Mr Boafo claimed Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Rose Bio Atinga, the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, was approached on August 25, 2009 by some youths who were former residents at the Agbogbloshie Market for protection to enable them to re-enter the market area to resume their residence and continue the pursuit of their legitimate vocations.

Mr Boafo said the youth in question had been chased out of the same place by some supporters of the NDC following violent disturbances which erupted there in February 2009.

He said their demand for protection from the Police was upon advice proffered by the General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Ohene Ntow. Mr Boafo alleged that the Regional Commander declined the request and apparently not knowing how else they could fend for themselves, the youth later in the day attempted to re-enter Agbogbloshie market. He said they were brutally assaulted and in the course of the mayhem, four people were butchered to death and many others suffered severe multiple life threatening injuries and were hospitalized at the Police Hospital.

Mr Boafo also cited alleged instances of assaults of Appiah Stadium, a known NPP supporter in Kumasi, during the Akwatia Constituency Parliamentary election re-run, and the murder of a man in the Brong Ahafo Region.