Lack of confidence and politicisation of security cause of electoral violence - UG Lecturer

Political science lecturer at the University of Ghana (UG), Professor Ransford Gyampo is of a strong opinion that lack of confidence and politicisation of issues in the security agencies is the reason for many electoral violence in Ghana.

“What happened is a show of a fundamental lack of confidence in the security agencies. Since 1992, we have demonstrated lack of confidence in our security agencies because we have politicised them so opposition parties don’t trust the security agencies. Those in power themselves sometimes don’t trust the agencies” he observed.

Speaking as a panel member on JoyNews’ Newsfile program MyNewsGh.com monitored on the chaos that rocked a voters’ registration exercise in some polling centres, Professor Gyampo maintained that until the police and other state organizations are able to act independently of political influence, the chaos associated with elections will persist.

“I think that acts of thuggery that surround our electoral processes will not stop unless we do something proactive to depoliticise the security services of the land,” the political social commentator pointed out to host.

According to him, an independent and well-equipped police service will be able to arrest and prosecute political officials who break the rules.

Professor Gyampo therefore argued that it will be prudent for the government to distance itself from the actions of the Minister of Special Initiatives, Hawa Koomson who fired gun-shots at a polling station in Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East Constituency of the Central Region.