Police protection may do MPs more harm - Pratt

Veteran Journalist and Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has waded into the ongoing debate on the need for security protection for Members of Parliament, saying the decision may do them more harm than good if past incidents are anything to go by.

According to him, assigning police personnel to MPs will not necessarily make the legislators secured as some of the security personnel cannot be trusted.

The debate has been sparked following the gruesome murder of the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa North Tuesday dawn in his East Legon home. The assailants, one of whom has been arrested by the Greater Accra Police Command, got access to the MPs bedroom in his one-story building with the aid of a ladder.

MPs including the Minority Leader, Osei- Kyei Mensah -Bonsu has appealed to government to consider providing round the clock security for MPs as their work expose them to danger from disgruntled opponents, constituents or even the public.

But those opposed to the idea have argued for a rather improved security of all Ghanaians and not only enhanced security for MPs.

Speaking on Adom FM, Kwesi Pratt stated that some of the policemen have turned up to be thieves and may end up stealing the MPs they are assigned to; indicating that the only way all Ghanaians will be secured is to build a safe society.

“Assigning police officers to MPs will not make them safer. About eight years ago, Ghana hosted an international conference; those police officers guiding the foreign delegates and drivers from the State Protocol turned themselves around and robbed them at West Legon. How many times haven’t we heard that some police officers have used the guns purchased for them with the taxpayers’ money to rob unsuspecting people of their precious properties? So the police protect is not a sure bet to make one secured”.

He added: “The only way is for us to build a safe society and all of us will be safe. MPs are not special; every Ghanaian must be protected. Giving one policeman with a gun is not security.”