On 29th September, 2009, the electorate of the Chereponi constituency in the northern region of Ghana will go to the polls to elect a new member of parliament for the constituency to replace the late Doris Seidu, who passed away in August, 2009 after a protracted illness.
The greatest issue that has become of core interest to Ghanaians and even the world at large is not necessarily who will win the seat, but whether the Ghana Police service will be able to save lives and properties in the constituency on the Election Day.
This worry is as a result of certain occurrences in the country for the past nine months that has made some Ghanaians to wonder aloud whether Ghanaians are safe in motherland Ghana, and also if the Ghana police Service can be trusted to save lives and properties.
Let me fast forward my writings to Akwatia in the Eastern region, during the re-run of elections in some six polling stations recently which were outstanding from the last elections and needed to take place to determine who was to be the member of parliament for that constituency.
Readers must recall that this was a re-run in which one of the main contenders in the election was reported to have declared it a “Jihad” (Holy War). And inspite of the volatile nature of the place which was trumpeted loudly by the media, the Ghana Police service was still accused of standing by while certain personalities were molested.
At least the general secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was heard on several radio stations in Ghana including Joyfm alleging that he was attacked by thugs he suspected were supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) under the full watch of the security personnel whose reason for being at Akwatia on that day was protect and save lives of all and to ensure a peaceful elections.
As to whether the Police was told by somebody to act in another way while fellow Ghanaians were assaulted is not the subject of this article.
And then at the Agbogloshie market three members of the NPP were butchered to death in front of a police station in a broadday light and the only ‘reasonable’ excuse that the police could give as to why they were unable to save lives and properties was that, they were over powered by the crowd.
When even names of some seven persons were released to the police by the NPP which they said they had from some of those who survived the butchering at Agbogloshie, arrests are yet to be made of the alleged killers! What we have so far seen done is rather the ‘arrests’ of the general secretary of the NPP the other time in connection with the killings. I don’t know if this is a clear case of a complainant turned suspect scenario.
At Bawku in the Upper-East region of Ghana there is a substantial amount of mistrust between the security agencies that are there to protect the people and a section of the public in the wake of intermittent ethnic clashes in the area between the Kusasis and the Mamprusis. The last time they clashed on the 6th September, 2009, six persons were reported killed.
These instances given is just to draw an attractive picture of events that has made it possible for some citizens of Ghana to have their doubts and reservations about the competency, reliability and the neutrality of Ghana Police Service in recent times.
Now that there is an impending bye-election at the Chereponi constituency and allegations and counter allegations are already flying all over the place that, the real “Jihad” will be at that constituency, because the NDC it is claimed says it cant afford to loose that seat, even though the Member of Parliament whose death occasioned the bye-election was an NPP member of parliament.
It is like all the warning signs are all there to enable the security agencies plan well ahead of the elections in other to avert the recurrence of Akwatia at Chereponi. It is my hope that, the security agencies will ensure the safety of all in the Constituency before, during, and after the elections.
This is just a single constituency out of about 230 constituencies, Ghanaians and the world are waiting and watching patiently to see if the Ghana Police Service will be able to protect lives and properties. The police in northern region have disclosed that, up to a thousand of its personnel will be at Chereponi on the Election Day that is a good sign.
Infact Ghanaians will not forgive the Ghana police service if they are unable to protect lives and properties in that constituency and to also ensure that, miscreants are not allowed to deny the people of Chereponi smooth elections. This election is indeed a test case for the professionalism, neutrality, competence, and efficiency of the security agencies. At least they have had enough time and still have much time left to prepare adequately for the elections.
The Ghana police service must be told that, they will not have the slightest excuse, not even an atom weight of excuse to give if they fail at Chereponi on this occasion. They should not allow self seeking politicians to dictate or manipulate them to do the unthinkable afterall they are Ghana Police service not NDC or NPP police service.
So far the police have given the fullest assurances in all interviews they granted the media that they are more than well prepared for the elections. All I will say at this stage is that we have heard you, and waiting for the Election Day. We shall shower all the praises on you if you succeed at Chereponi, and we shall as well bath you with all condemnations if you fail.
And to the youth of all the political parties, you can also become the politicians that the politicians are, and even better! So don’t allow any politician to recruit you to harm your own brothers just because of the interest of somebody who wants to go to parliament. Any politician who will want to commission you to cause violence must be politely ask to let his or her brother or son join you to go and cause the trouble.
The leadership of all political parties must openly denounce violence especially the NDC and the NPP who are the main contenders and source of tension during such elections.
Civil society groups and religious leaders must also start the talks and prayers now. They should be bold to call any erring political party or politician to order without fear or favour.
The media should grant interviews to conflict resolution experts who are ready to talk now about how to prevent conflicts in the area during the elections but not wait to interview them on their views about how peace can return to the area after conflicts have taken place.
I have already written two articles titled “The day the Ghana Police Service proved sceptics wrong” and another titled “The day the Ghana Police failed Ghanaians inspite of all prior warnings” I have embargoed those write up until the Chereponi elections on the 29th September, 2009. So over to you the Ghana Police Service. Akilu Sayibu UK, Email: Akilu.sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk
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