Greenlight for Mahama office picketing tarnishes police' risk assessment - Security expert

A security policy expert has criticised the Ghana Police Service's decision to allow members of the Fixing The Country Movement to picket at the office of former President John Dramani Mahama on November 16, 2023, regarding his involvement in the Airbus scandal.

The expert, Mr Anthony Acquaye, lambasted the police management for what he deemed an exceptionally low-risk security assessment in granting permission for this picket.

Mr Acquaye contended that the police's decision to permit the group to picket at the private office of the former president indicates a significant underestimation of the associated risks.

He pointed out that there are clear signs that these engagements could potentially escalate to violence, especially as the youth wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has also announced its intention to organise a clean-up exercise at the former president's office on the same day.

Mr Acquaye, who holds a Master's degree in Security from the Kofi Annan Peace-Keeping Training Centre, expressed his concerns about the police's decision during an interview on Accra 100.5 FM's mid-day news on Friday, October 20, 2023.

He questioned the rationale behind the police's decision to grant permission for the Fixing The Country Movement to picket at the former president's private office, further describing the permit as an "avoidable mistake".

He made it clear that if the situation escalates into security disorders, the blame should fall squarely on the police administration.

Mr Acquaye emphasised that the signs of potential tension and subsequent conflict are evident on various social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, and the police should have been more discerning in handling the matter.