Be accountable to the citizenry, security personnel urged

Mrs Josephine Nkrumah, chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has called on security personnel to remain accountable in all their activities.

She said the role of the Security personnel in the country could not be swept under the carpet as there is the need to safeguard the security of the country.

Mrs Nkrumah said this at the Airforce base where she interacted with personnel of the various military units in the Northern Region as part of events marking the 25th anniversary 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 is 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 corrupt practices so as to develop the country", she said.

Mrs Nkrumah made references to clashes between the military and the police in Tamale a couple of weeks ago and described the situation as a dent in the prevailing harmony.

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

She said security personnel were not above the law and must remain responsible and resist the temptation of taking laws into their own hands.

She said the military is 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.

Flt. Lt. 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 adding that there would be peaceful coexistence between them.

Some of the personnel expressed concern about undermining the security services by some politicians and stressed that security matters must be left out of the corridors of politics.

He said the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has established a committee to investigate the unfortunate squabble between the military and the police in Tamale.