Get rid of "Yellow Police" - NCCE Forum participants

Accra, May 2, GNA - Some military personnel on Friday called on the government to get rid of community police under the National Youth Employment Programme as their operations may pose security problems during the December elections. The military personnel, made up of senior and other ranks from Ghana Army, Navy, Air Force, and Military Police explained that the mandate of the community police personnel popular known as "Yellow Police" was unconstitutional and must be scraped immediately. The Officers noted: "These uncoordinated masses are a potential force for manipulation by unpatriotic politicians to subvert the democratic process, especially on election day."

The Military Officers made these observations at a civic education lecture organized by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for the Ghana Army as part of activities marking the 8th National Constitution Week celebration. The Military Officers also expressed concern about apparent suspicion among the security agencies and called for closer collaboration to erase these sentiments which have the potential of undermining the country's democratic gains.

Speaking at the lecture on the theme; "The Sovereign Will of the People and Election 2008; The Role of Security Agencies," Mr. Laary Bimi NCCE Chairman challenged politicians to genuinely demonstrate their concern for the ordinary man. He said: "it has become a political platitude for politicians to trumpet it at the roof top of fighting for the interests of the people, but in truth, the man or woman is fighting for the betterment of his or her own condition. "Months after winning political power, the once ordinary person's attitude changes, he or she moves into a different apartment to suit his or her new status and places 'beware of dogs' warning at the entrance to ward off the same people who voted for him from coming to disturb him."

Mr. Bimi therefore tasked the electorate to use the political environment to seriously scrutinize all politicians to ensure that, "we vote for selfless personalities into positions of trust. "This Election should not be just party, party, party but we must challenge the politician to show how best the party or the individual can champion the interest of the nation.we are tired of self seeking politicians." He described Election 2008 as a test case for the nation as almost all the leading four political parties have tasted power before, unfortunately governance era of the Convention People's Party (CPP) and the People's National Convention (PNC) is fading into oblivion.

But the era of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is fresh as these two political blocs have tasted power and stayed in opposition before. "They know and appreciate the goodies of governance as well as the frustration of African opposition parties, they are therefore desperate to either maintain or regain power, through fair or foul means," the NCCE Chairman stated. He therefore tasked the military to maintain their neutrality, respect the military command structures and follow lawful orders to ensure that the nation goes through election 2008 and come out united. He cited electoral events in Togo, Nigeria, Kenya, and Zimbabwe to expose the desperation of politicians to cling on to power or fight for power. The NCCE chairman also appealed to all democratic stakeholders to maintain their neutrality and adhere to their constitutionally mandated role as the international community is keenly watching Ghana.