IGP Must Take Care Of His Own – Titus Glover

A leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Nii Kwartei Titus Glover has descended heavily on the Inspector General of Police for failing to protect his officers from undue political arm twisting tactics which has resulted in the all-witnessed NDC-led violence in the on-going biometric registration exercise.

According to Titus Glover, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional NPP Campaign Team, it is evident that whilst most of the Regional and Divisional Police commands are more than willing to carry out their assigned duties to ensure that the on-going biometric registration exercise is devoid of violence, there has been heavy political interference by the power players in the Atta Mills-led government which is seriously undermining the professionalism of the Ghana Police Service.

On Monday April 16, 2012, the NPP MP for Assin North Kennedy Agyapong was arrested and incarcerated by the Ghana police for allegedly making hate comments on a radio medium tantamount to treason, and attempted genocide. He was subsequently charged with the offence and sent to court on Wednesday April 16, 2012. Hon. Agyapong’s arrest and incarceration led to some rioting in front of the Police Headquarters, with some angry youth burning tyres and destroying street lights.

Dilating on his criticism of the IGP, Titus Glover said the violence and political tension that has characterised what should otherwise have been a simple exercise of registration has arisen largely because of the failure of the IGP to protect his officers from the claws of political vultures who are bent on retaining power, just so they can have four more years to further rape Mother Ghana of its natural resources, especially, the oil.

He cited the extra mile Director of Police Administration, Rose Bio Atinga went to undermine the authority of District Police Commander of Tafo Pankrono, Superintendent Kwesi Ofori, when he attempted to bring violent-consumed NDC hoodlums to justice. At a time that Superintendent Ofori was doing all within his purview to ensure that these NDC –coloured rogues were brought to justice, including placing a bounty on their heads, Rose Bio-Atinga, obviously wining with President Mills, quickly released a statement dissociating the Police Service from Superintendent Kwesi Ofori’s action.

In another instance of clear political arm-twisting, the criminally rented press of the NDC has set an agendum to call for the head of MTTU boss, Superintendent Awuni. His offence? Obviously tired of the violence being perpetrated by confident NDC thugs, led by MP for Korle Klottey and recently dismissed Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey, Superintendant Awuni decided to stamp his authority by insisting that the dismissed Minister leads his thugs away from a polling station where they had gone to disrupt the registration process and vandalise computers, printers, and cameras. This action did not go down well with the Hon. MP who threatened the highly respected police officer with dismissal.

In all these instances and more, the IGP has failed to take any action which according to Titus Glover, would have re-assured the broader Police Service that they were immune to any form of political bullying. “As things stand now, with the arm-wrenching political tactic being meted to the Ghana Police Service, through the IGP, the National Security body is being inhibited from performing its function impartially, a recipe for political chaos”, he said

Reports of violence in the on-going biometric registration, especially in the Odododiodioo Constituency of the Greater Accra region, led by presidential Aide and Director of Operations at the Castle, Nii Lante Vanderpuye are received virtually everyday, whilst President Mills looks on powerless.

Mean while, Hon Kennedy Agyapong has finally been released after securing two bails in one day and spending three days in the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) cells. The lawmaker has been charged with treason felony; attempt to commit genocide and terrorism.

BY