IGP must resign over AWW violence – Fmr. Chief of Staff demands

A former Chief of Staff, Nana Ato Dadzie is demanding the resignation of the Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu, for what he describes as “a clear abuse of human rights” in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election.

At least six persons were left 6 wounded with some of them sustaining gunshots wounds from some armed masked men said to be operatives of the national security and members of the pro NPP vigilante group, the Invisible Forces.

Many have criticised the January 31 violent incident that grabbed international headlines as some people demanded an independent investigations into the matter.

On the back of the pressure and widespread criticism from all stakeholders, government constituted a three man commission to enquire the circumstances leading to the violence and give recommendations to forestall future occurrences.

Though the identities of the masked men have not been ascertained yet, the Minister of State in charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong, admitted they were his men. The Minister for National Security, Albert Kan- Dapaah has corroborated.

But despite these, a group of political parties in opposition under the umbrella of the Inter-Party Coalition in Defence of National Sovereignty which appeared unimpressed hits the streets a week ago to bring government’s attention to the level of insecurity in the country.

They also demanded the resignation of the IGP.

Nana Ato Dadzie who had earlier raised concerns about the constitution of the Emil Short chaired-commission, insisted the IGP, who denied knowledge of the men must go, for failing to do the needful to avert the situation.

“If the IGP knows about the people, if they turn out to be police and they behaved this way the IGP must resign because it was a clear abuse of human rights. If they were not police and up to today, we do not know who they are, then the IGP … must resign”, he said.

Speaking on TV3’s New Day, Mr. Ato Dadzie said whether the IGP knows the men, who some have described as hoodlums or not, he must vacate his post, stating unequivocally that “either ways, the IGP must go”

He explained that if the masked men used police branded cars for their operations and the IGP does not seem to know, then it is an indication that somebody is taking over his job for which reason “he must resign on principle”.