Protect IGP from political interference – CODEO

The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has called on stakeholders to enact laws that will ensure the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other heads of state security agencies are independent of political manipulations.

CODEO also wants the leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to work together with the Ghana Police Service to disband all political vigilante groups.

The National Coordinator of CODEO, Albert Kofi Arhin, said these at a media briefing after a roundtable discussion on the theme: "The menace of political party vigilantism and Ghana's electoral politics" at Ridge Royal Hotel in Cape Coast.

He noted that in the medium to long term, there should be a concerted effort amongst key election stakeholders to insulate the IGP from political interference across regimes and ensure such appointments are transparent and genuinely consultative.

Participants at the roundtable discussion indicated that political party vigilantism poses a serious threat to Ghana's peace and security and thereby reinforced the call to disband such vigilante groups. They also called on religious and traditional leaders to champion a cause that will end political party vigilantism in the country.

Representatives from NPP and NDC impelled government to resource, equip and maintain the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the police service to execute their core duties.

CODEO is a civil society group whose primary and broad objective is to complement the efforts of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) and all stakeholders in ensuring a transparent, free, fair and peaceful election in the country.