Police To Get Tough - IGP

Accra, Aug. 18, - The Police today outlined a number of measures aimed at stemming the rising tide of indiscipline, disorder and lawlessness in society. ''As a first step, we have decided to deal very firmly and drastically with any persons who dare attack any Police Station or any Police Officer,'' Mr Peter Nanfuri, Inspector General of Police (IGP), told a Press Conference in Accra today. Mr Nanfuri cited instances since January 1993, where six Police Stations have been attacked by mobs and said Police Officers have been instructed to use all lawful means to defend themselves and their stations against such acts of intimidation. "Parliament is being requested to consider a review of existing legislation to make assaults on Police Officers attract severer punishment than other assaults. "In other democracies, .... the Police as defenders of the citizenry are given greater protection by the law and by the courts. It is about time we did the same in Ghana'', Mr Nanfuri said. Mr Nanfuri said the police will now ensure the rigid enforcement of the Public Order Act which requires that his outfit is notified, at least five days, in advance of a planned demonstration. The law also empowers the police to either postpone or relocate a demonstration and holds the organizers liable for any damage to public property during the demonstration. ''So-called spontaneous demonstrations that result in the obstruction of traffic and inconvenience of the citizenry which we are aware are orchestrated and teleguided will no longer be tolerated. ''Democracy requires respect for the rule of law, in the absence of which democracy degenerates into anarchy,'' he said. On traffic offences, Mr Nanfuri said, a special Task Force has been created to enforce discipline on the roads. The Task Forces will impose sanctions on owners of vehicles fixed with extra lights which blind on-coming drivers at night. ''The Task Forces will also be on the look-out for unlicensed under-aged students who go joy-riding in their parents' vehicles and create danger on the roads. They will be arrested and prosecuted. "In circumstances where the law allows it, their parents or the owners of the vehicles will be prosecuted as well'', he said. On the recent spate of bomb scares, Mr Nanfuri said measures are being taken to arrest those behind them. He would not rpt not disclose what steps are being adopted but said a handsome reward will be given to any member of the public who provides information that leads to the arrest of persons behind the bomb scares adding that operators of communication centres should be vigilant. Mr Nanfuri said the Police and the Military will extend assistance to Task Forces set up by District Assemblies to deal with sanitation and breaches of planning laws. He said some of the problems the Task Forces will deal with include indiscriminate defecating in public places, urinating in the full glare of the public, littering, dumping rubbish in unauthorized places and throwing rubbish from moving vehicles. The Task Force will also deal with people developing in unauthorized places some of who mark their premises with "Stop Work" to prevent their being apprehended by the authorities. They will initially be restricted to Accra and later be extended to other regional capitals. Mr Nanfuri said the measures have become necessary because ... ''for far too long we have allowed a vociferous minority, anarchists and criminal-minded mobsters to terrorise us into a suffocating silence of suffering. ''...one is almost tempted to think that far from the Constitution guaranteeing our freedom, it has rather become the excuse for lawlessness and indiscipline. ''Ghana, everybody says, is safe and stable. We appear to have taken that safety and stability for granted. Now is the time to anchor that safety and stability in concrete steps that will make Ghana very uncomfortable for the criminal and lawless,'' he said.