THE ROLE OF THE POLICE, BNI.....

The Leadership of the Alliance for Change has written to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr J. Y. A. Kwofie to thank him and his officers for the able manner they handled the Kume Preko demonstration.

The letter signed by Dr. C. Wereko-Brobby, a leader of the Alliance of Change said "We believe that but for activities of certain individuals who arrogated to themselves the duties and power of the Police, the efforts of your men and in particular the leadership of the Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr. J. K. Abulu and the Commander of Greater Accra Regional Police, Mr. J. C. Mprah would have resulted in the peaceful policing of what turned out to be the biggest ever public demonstration seen in Ghana's history."

The letter further said "we believe that it is the Police Service and they alone who are entrusted and empowered by the constitution to maintain law and order in the country. For our part, we confirm our readiness and willingness to work closely with the police in carrying out its duties in respect of any public activities we may be involved with."

The Police had indeed been fully briefed by the leadership of the alliance of their intended routes weeks in advance and set in motion a machinery to deal with potential trouble.

The Police categorically advised the ACDRs to state their own demo on another day. One police source said that under pressure, the Police advised that if the ACDRs were adamant about marching the same day, then they should take a different route.

The Bureau of National Investigations also swung into action. Their Operation room manned by Mr Peer Nanfuri who kept directing men to different scenes as soon as word crackled over their radio about trouble at various spots.

The BNI dispatched men with video cameras onto the scene and recorded some of the sciences. Several other operatives mingled with the crowd and marched from Circle. The march itself took an initial carnival character. Dr Charles Wereko Brobby and Mr Kweku Baako, two of the early birds had problems containing the crowd that had gathered hours before the agreed 10.00 am. After two circuitous turns around the Circle, the impatient crowd broke away and surfed towards Accra screaming at the leaders for wasting their time. The first group encountered trouble from the thugs.

It was only wen the rest joined that the thugs realised the miles and miles of Human wave that was following. Some of them flung their shirts and fled.

Kwesi Pratt (Jnr) had earlier been mobbed immediately he showed up, and was carried shoulder high. "This is what I have been hoping for for all these years, for people to demonstrate their feelings in this way", he told the CHRONICLE.