Political meddling messing police work - Aning

Unnecessary political meddling makes it impossible for the Ghana Police Service to get its jobs done, especially in the area of fighting crime, a security analyst at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Dr Kwesi Aning has said.

Speaking to Class News Monday, May 23, Dr Aning accused District Chief Executives, Municipal Chief Executives, and politicians of constantly meddling in the work of the police, thus making them inefficient and ineffective.

His comments follow new efforts by officers in the Ashanti Region to fight an upsurge in armed robbery attacks, which have left two people, including a police officer dead within four days.

Dr Aning said the security agencies must be left to do their job, citing Ashanti Regional Police Commander Kofi Boakye as one such officer who, if left alone, can execute his job effectively.

“Mr Kofi Boakye does not have enough men; he does not have enough logistics. More often than not, when he does his work right, it is politicised and people want to get him sacked.

Mr Kofi Boakye is fighting an increasingly dangerous, insecure environment with his arms almost tied behind his back; that is where the challenge is. Just release his hands and I can assure you he will be able to respond to these challenges,” he stated.

Dr Aning advised: “Let us stop the unnecessary political meddling that makes it impossible for police officers to get their jobs done.

That is where the problem is; it is not with the armed robberies. When you have undue political meddling in the performance of professional services, people become cautious and, particularly in an election year, it is not with logistics and men and women, it is about political meddling by DCEs, MCEs, who, when the police do the proper work, threaten to get them sacked or transferred and that is leading us to where we are.”