Towards success of Dec 7 elections - Security Alert: Police Command holds crucial meeting in Accra

Front Page: September 13, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE National Police Command Conference opened in Accra yesterday to review the security situation and prepare for the forthcoming elections.
It will also look at issues of co-ordination between the Ghana Police Service and the National and Regional Election Task Forces.
It aims at ensuring that the commanders come on top of security issues before, during and after the elections.
Opening the conference, the Interior Minister, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, said the unfortunate incidents associated with the just ended voter registration exercise and the recent conflicts in Tamale and Gushiegu gave cause for concern.
He said Ghana had become a beacon of hope in the sub-region with many looking up to Ghanaians to maintain the peace and tranquillity the country was currently enjoying.
He said it was unfortunate that there remained some individuals who wanted to undermine and subvert the stability of the country and warned that anyone caught in such acts would be dealt with according to the law.
He noted that peace-loving Ghanaians had questioned the capability and preparedness of the security agencies to live up to the task of maintaining law and order before, during and after the elections.
Dr Addo-Kufuor said he was, however, convinced that the Police Command would deliver on its responsibilities to maintain law and order and provide a safe environment for all citizens to go about their normal duties without harassment and intimidation from any quarter.
“The nation is going to depend very much on you to ensure a peaceful and congenial atmosphere in the period ahead of us. I know you have the experience and the capability to maintain law and order.
“You have not only carried out this task many times in this country in the past but the people of Ghana know they can count on the service in these difficult times,” he added.
The Interior Minister urged personnel of the service to exhibit a high level of professionalism in the discharge of their duties at all times.
“It is also important to inculcate in your officers the need to uphold the very high standards of the service as the principal state agency responsible for internal security,” he admonished.
The Chairman of the Police Council, Mr Justice Sam Glenn Baddoo, said a lot had been done to transform the police contrary to some unguided criticisms by a section of NGOs and the general public that the Police Council and the Police Administration were not willing to adopt policies and programmes that would transform the service.
He said those laudable policies and programmes had been stifled as a result of lack of funds.
He said the service was overstretched in meeting normal operation demands.
Mr Baddoo cited the low staff strength, incidence of demonstrations and related riots, ethnic conflicts and other demands such as traffic duties and special operations, banks and VIP security guard duties, among others, as the reasons for the inability of the service to meet its constitutional obligations as effectively as required.
“I wish to assure the Ghanaian society that Council is doing its best to improve upon the delivery by personnel of the service,” he stated.