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Press Release
NPP, November
24. 2012
OPEN LETTER TO
THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR
ENSURING A VIOLENT FREE ELECTION
(From Dr.Kofi Konadu Apraku- Chairman of Security Committee
NPP)
Dear Interior Minister,
With less than two weeks to election 2012, many Ghanaians are
deeply concerned about the lack of clear cut transparent
election security plans that will assure us of the peace we
all so ardently desire. A crescendo of voices rising from
religious bodies, non-governmental organisations, traditional
rulers, academics, students, businesspeople, professionals,
workers and others throughout Ghana are demanding peace from
political parties participating in this years’ Presidential
and Parliamentary Elections.
In response, many parties have pledged their commitment to
peaceful, violence free elections. The New Patriotic Party’s
commitment to a peaceful election is unshakeable and
unambiguous. It is worthy to note however, that primary
responsibility for ensuring and sustaining the peace before,
during and after the election is primarily an internal
security matter within the constitutional mandate of the Ghana
Police Service.
It is in that context that the NPP deems it necessary to state
unequivocally that the entire country’s consistent and
constant calls for peace depend on demonstrably fair and
impartial policing of the electoral processes before, during
and after December 7, 2012.
The traditional role of the Police in election 2012 has become
even more crucial in the light of the Electoral Commission’s
reaction to alleged security infractions that may have
contributed significantly to tilting the scales in some voting
areas in the 2008 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
When provided copious evidence of electoral violence
consistent with an agenda to deprive NPP polling agents and
monitors of access to certain polling stations in a region
declared virtually ‘no go’ for the NPP, the Electoral
Commissioner maintained that vote validity from his
perspective did not include an evaluation of potential
criminal violence.
Needless to say, this statement literally construed could mean
getting the vote onto the Electoral Commission’s desk in any
way possible. Coming from a political culture where not so
long ago, the mere sight of a security uniform could send
shivers of fear through entire communities, complicated by a
sense of regime security where the security services appear
unwilling to police the governing party, there is a growing
sense of alarm that the NDC is planning and preparing to
execute measures to maximise their votes and minimise that of
their opponents, especially the NPP through any means, foul
means not excepted.
Most of the NDC diabolical plans that were rumoured to happen
during the registration period in Ashanti and the Brong Ahafo
regions indeed happened. Today, it is again rumoured that the
Ashanti, the Eastern, and the Brong Ahafo regions, perceived
to be the traditional strongholds of the NPP, would be
subjected to all kinds of violence, intimidation, harassment
and electoral manipulations, including cutting off electricity
supply, shortage of voting materials and supplies, late start
of voting, and other administrative delays, all calculated to
reduce voter turnout in these regions on election day.
Judging by the accuracy of the rumours in respect of the voter
registration, every peace loving Ghanaian must take these
rumours seriously and demand of the Ministry of Interior that
they do not happen. Given the Electoral Commission’s position
that it will accept and tally results irrespective of how the
numbers are procured, it is imperative that the Police
hierarchy assures all Ghanaians that it is not only up to the
task of providing a fear free election but that it is prepared
to also clamp down hard on any acts aimed at marring the
beauty of the democratic electoral process, no matter the
source of the potential disturbance.
Unfortunately, that appears not to be the case so far. In
Akwatia, NDC tugs masquerading as Jihadists unleashed mayhem
on their political opponents and destroyed personal property
in broad daylight in the presence of hundreds of Police
Officers who did not act to maintain the lawful peace because
the goons belonged to the ruling Party, the NDC. Similarly, in
Chereponi, an armed man caught on national television shooting
at NPP supporters who was arrested and sent to the Police
Station has had no charges pressed or any action taken against
him. Again, in the Atiwa Constituency bye-election, the NDC
National Women’s Organizer deliberately drove her vehicle
through a crowd of NPP supporters, injuring several people who
were hospitalised for several months. She was neither arrested
nor prosecuted.
The registration exercise witnessed massive acts of unprovoked
violence. In Greater Accra, NDC party activists roamed the
streets of Odododiodio constituency with impunity, brandishing
machetes and other offensive weapons, in the presence of the
Police and intimidating people and disrupting the registration
process, ultimately assaulting an NPP Parliamentary Candidate.
All this happened in broad day light, and yet no one was
apprehended, arrested, or prosecuted. Similar acts of
violence, intimidation and harassments were also recorded at
Trobo Amasaman, Krowor, Klottey Korle, and Dome Kwabenya in
the Greater Accra region.
In the Ashanti Region, out of thirty nine constituencies, ten
recorded episodes of violence, intimidation and harassments
over the registration period. In Brong Ahafo, twelve
constituencies out of the twenty four constituencies recorded
various forms of violent incidents. Similar acts of violence
and intimidation were recorded in the Volta, Eastern and the
Northern regions. Most of these attacks against NPP supporters
were duly reported to the police but not a single case was
vigorously investigated, and prosecuted.
The Biometric Registration exercise gave many opportunities
for the Police to test their readiness. Unfortunately, events
then gave very little reason to grow confidence in the ability
of the Police Service to collectively protect every person and
party organisation involved in the election. Too many
incidents of too little too late being done about major acts
of violence and impunity instigated by identifiable people
puts the integrity of the Police on line. Interestingly,
whenever a Police Officer in the line of duty has acted
impartially, the Police hierarchy have not always given clear
backing and affirmed the authority of such Officers. In
Tafo-Pankrono, the District Police Commander was in turn
commended and then publicly chastised and disowned by the
Police hierarchy for taking a bold stance against motor cycle
riding macho men whose sole object was the disruption of the
registration exercise.
Such is a situation that reflects selective justice. Selective
justice is no justice and therefore unbecoming of a desire for
peace. Allegations filed by the NDC against the NPP are acted
on with alacrity. For example, at Asutifi South, Asunafo South
and Tain constituencies in the Brong Ahafo region, NPP
Parliamentary Candidates were immediately arrested by the
Police when their NDC counterparts filed Police reports
alleging registration violations. Several similar incidents of
selective justice were recorded in the Ashanti region.
The danger of continued selective application of justice in a
volatile political environment of heightened competition,
demands that the Police Service rise above the fray, break
decisively with the negative culture of politicization of
state security agencies and approach the upcoming elections
with complete professionalism as the only way to meet the
aspirations of public calls for peaceful elections.
It is in that context that this letter is written. The NPP, as
a major participant in the election and identifying with the
fears and anxieties of millions of Ghanaians, demands sound,
impartial and effective policing from now till after the
election. The Police Service, in its leadership of electoral
security must demonstrate an unshakeable commitment to
impartiality and send strong signals that the macho menace
will not be tolerated. This will go a long way to ease the
fears of Ghanaians and ensure a violence free and fair
election.
From media reports, the Police Service appears to have
inaugurated election security task forces. The Armed Forces
are also reported to be providing some support. What we, as
participating political parties are not being told is how the
on-going arrangements will assure national security on
Election Day even if not before. This statement is because the
run in to the Election Day has not been distinguished by
confidence boosting policing. Very recently, it was reported
that a young man was brutalised, assaulted at Tetteh Quarshie
Interchange by several persons associated with the NDC. Upon
arriving at the Airport Police Station, an Aide to the
President, Mr. Baffoe Bonnie is reported to have driven in and
secured the release of the NDC thugs whilst the bleeding
victim was locked up for several hours and denied medical
attention in spite of strenuous efforts to get him some vital
medical care.
Furthermore, every day, reports of violence against NPP
supporters from across the country, are received, many of
which are reported to the Police but are disregarded. In Sefwi
Wiawso of the Western region, NPP supporters at the Sefwi
Wiawso Womens Nurses Training College who were attacked during
the biometric registration were again beaten mercilessly
during the visit of the President to the town on an unproven
allegation that one student had thrown water at the President.
One of the students had to be evacuated to the Okomfo Anokye
Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. Incidents of unprovoked acts of
violence, intimidation, and harassments, and provocations by
NDC supporters against NPP supporters have been recorded in
Yendi, Nandom, Navrongo, Nadowli/Kaleo, Dafflama/ Busie/Issa,
Sissala East and so on.
Increasingly, some constituencies are been declared “no go”
areas to the NPP. Asutifi South is one such constituency. As
recent as November 9th NPP constiteucy executives, including
the Chairman, Oppong Appiah, Organizer, Musa Isaka, and senior
member of the Party, Mrs. Cecelia Amaoh, a former Ambassador
were attacked for distributing bicycles to NPP supporters
without any provocations by tugs led by Abdulai Naba, the
brother of Collins Dauda, the Member of Parliament for the
constituency and also the Parliamentary Candidate. The tugs
seized seven bicycles and destoroyed the instantly. The matter
was reported to the Dadieso Aba police station. Like the many
others listed above, no arrest has been made.
In the current situation, a significant confidence booster
ahead of the election would be a closed door briefing of all
the participating political parties. Questions that need to be
addressed include the role of the Special Forces, the
leadership and authority of Regional and District Security
Committees, REGSEC and DISEC respectively, the conduct of
security personnel at polling stations and the integrity of
the early ballot to be cast by Election Day workers. Again,
the situation whereby District Chief Executives and
Metropolitan Chief Executives, who may be Parliamentary
Candidates in this year’s elections also head the District
Security Committee DISEC and the Regional Minister who heads
REGSEC, should not be tolerated since these individuals have
vested interests in the decisions made by these Committees.
In that regard, best practice during the NPP era, to avoid
such conflict of interests, was to enable and empower district
and regional police commanders serve as the respective
chairmen of the security committees. It is important that the
Police Service engage the parties in these matters to enable
consensus and assure Ghanaians of Police Service capacity to
ensure peaceful, free and fair elections.
Going forward, the NPP believes that the Police Service and
indeed, the other security agencies supporting the Election
Task Force have as much of a stake in free, fair and peaceful
elections as has the entire population. A security posture
that advises and adopts a ‘hands off’ approach to the ruling
NDC party election machine does not guarantee the peace.
Instead, the Police have a chance to proudly deepen
institutional credibility and capacity locally and worldwide
by putting the law above all persons and party colours. Such
an approach can only bring glory as the true choice of the
people will be legitimised by the fairness of the election
environment which can only be assured by the quality of
policing.
Indeed, it may be time to demystify issues bordering on
National Security and the Inspector General of Police may have
the singular honour and historical recognition of leading the
process of inclusive democratic policing of the ballot. The
4th Republican Constitution supports such a process given that
the security agencies are under civilian control in a
framework that emphasises that the maintenance of National
Security is a shared responsibility involving all citizens but
spearheaded by the State’s Security Agencies. That is why with
less than three weeks to the elections, the NPP is urging the
Police hierarchy to invite the major participating parties to
at least inform them of broad plans, programs or actions to be
put in place to ensure peaceful elections.
Once again, the NPP pledges to work fully with all the
security agencies in order to accomplish a shared national
security strategy to protect lives and property for peace and
prosperity. Selective justice or political discrimination in
the administration of justice in our country should be done
away with and there is no better time to start than now.
Thank you.
Dr.Kofi Konadu Apraku
(Chairman of Security Committee –NPP)
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