Security personnel advised to be accountable to the citizenry

Mrs Josephine Nkrumah, Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has advised security personnel to remain accountable to the citizenry instead of engaging in civil strife themselves.

She said the role of the security personnel could not be swept under the carpet and stressed the need for them to safeguard the security of the country.

Mrs Nkrumah gave the advice at the Airforce Base, when she interacted with personnel of the various military units in the Northern Region as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the NCCE.

The celebration is on the theme: "Our nation, our heritage, consolidating Ghana’s Democratic gains" with emphasis on transparency and accountability.

She said it was also important for the security personnel to resist the temptation of violating the tenets that would lead to the overthrow of the 1992 Constitution saying, "Rather take steps to help entrench the country's democracy for the benefit of all".

"We must eschew some corruptible practices so as to develop the country," she advised.

Mrs Nkrumah made references to clashes between the military and the police in Tamale some few weeks ago, and described the situation as a dent in the securities which were the watchdogs of the citizenry.

She therefore, called on the leadership of the two security personnel to work hard to redeem their image to restore the confidence the public had in them.

Security personnel were not above the law and must remain responsible and resist the temptation of taking laws into their own hands, Mrs Nkrumah added.

She said the military was a transparent organisation in the corruption perception survey that the NCCE conducted last year and urged them to help advocate for a corruption free Ghana.

Flight Lieutenant Ebernezer Biney, Officer Commanding Morale Welfare and Recreation at the Squadron Airforce Base in Tamale, said the police and the military have smoked the peace pipe and assured peaceful coexistence between them.

Some of the personnel expressed concern about some top politicians undermining the security services and stressed that security matters must be left out of the corridors of politics to ensure lasting peace and security.

They of the opinion that the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) had set up a committee to investigate the unfortunate squabble between the military and the police in Tamale.