GBA calls for establishment of Regional Police Committees

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has called for urgent establishment of the Regional Police Committees as enshrined in the 1992 constitution.

The Regional Police Committees will feed the Police Council with necessary security information from the various regions for prompt action.

Mr Alfred Tuah Yeboah, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Chairman of the GBA, made the call during a public engagement on “the menace of political party vigilantism and Ghana’s Electoral Politics” held at Abesim, near Sunyani.

It was organised by the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) with support from the USAID and brought together participants from the clergy, Muslim community, civil society organisation, media, security agencies, religious, and other public institutions.

Mr Yeboah expressed discomfort that though Article 204 of the 1992 constitution clearly outlined its membership, the Police Council and successive governments have failed to set up the committees in the various regions without any apparent reason.

He said the establishments of the committees are essential in these days of emerging security threats in the country, adding that the committees would enable the police administration to respond quickly to internal security matters.

Mr Yeboah said national security issues ought to be given the utmost attention, adding that as the supreme law of the land, certain provisions in the 1992 constitution must not be overlooked.

Mr Albert Kofi Arhin, the National Coordinator of CODEO, an independent and non-partisan network of civil society group, faith-based organisations and professional bodies, called on stakeholders including political party groups and security agencies to help address the growing menace of vigilantism.

He said CODEO which comprises 42 organisations would continue to advocate a peaceful and credible general election and urged the public to work together to support the crusade against political party vigilantism.

Mr Arhin urged the media to make the growing menace topical in their outlet to attract public attention for national discourse.

Ambassador Francis Tsegah, a Senior Fellow at the CODEO Secretariat, said the existence of political vigilante groups was illegal and the government must ban those groups immediately.

“The leadership of the NPP and NDC who are largely responsible for the emergence of these groups should own up to their responsibilities and work together with the police to disband all politically affiliated vigilante groups”, he added.