The African Electoral Institute ( AEI) has urged the Ghana Police Service to adopt more strategic, tactical, and effective ways of discharging their duties without any suspicion, especially this election year.
According to the Civil Society Organisation, any little misconduct from the police can turn the peace and stability in the country ahead.
Responding to the recent arrest of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Awutu Senya East, Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor the AEI said police as an institution should be free from political interference to ensure peaceful elections come December 7th.
“The Institute believes that State Institutions must be allowed to work freely without any underhand dealings or interference by any one, not even the appointing authority to keep our country safe for all of us to live in safety without fear of intimidation.” AEI said in a statement.
“AEI wishes to point out that the current political temperature is heating up and this should let the Police adopt more strategic, tactical, and effective ways of going about their duties without suspicion from any quarters to suggest that they are doing the bidding of anyone to the disadvantage of another. ” Part of the statement read.
READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW
PRESS RELEASE
TO: ALL MEDIA HOUSES
DATE: 10TH JUNE, 2024
FROM: THE ELECTORAL SECURITY DESK OF AFRICAN ELECTORAL INSTITUTE (AEI)
*THE POLICE MUST BE CONSCIENTIOUS IN THEIR OPERATIONS.*
The African Electoral Institute (AEI) has viewed the arrest and detention of the National Democratic Congress Parliamentary Candidate for Awutu Senya East- Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor by the Police and matters arising very worrying .
The Institute believes that State Institutions must be allowed to work freely without any underhand dealings or interference by any one, not even the appointing authority to keep our country safe for all of us to live in safety without fear of intimidation.
Just as the African Electoral Institute believes that state institutions must be given the free hand to operate, it equally believes that the Police in the conduct of their lawful duties should exhibit immense professionalism and candor. The action(s) of the Police should be measurable to the alleged offence to prevent or ensure that no other meanings are read into their operations.
It is in this light that the African Electoral Institute sees the way and manner the Police handled the arrest of the Parliamentary Candidate as undesirable especially so because they failed to carry the public along by maybe issuing a press statement in that regard to let Ghanaians and her supporters know what offence was occasioned to warrant the arrests or what she is being held for thereby leaving many Ghanaians in the realms of speculation.
AEI wishes to point out that the current political temperature is heating up and this should let the Police adopt more strategic, tactical, and effective ways of going about their duties without suspicion from any quarters to suggest that they are doing the bidding of anyone to the disadvantage of another.
The African Electoral Institute equally wants to admonish all well-meaning Ghanaians to desist from putting political colours on the activities or operations of the police since such acts make the work of the Police difficult and de-motivating.
AEI adds that it is very important for the Police to do their work with utmost professionalism.
The Police must be seen to be fair but firm in the discharge of their duties to underscore their motto, which is: “Service with Integrity.”
SIGNED:
*Ex WO1 Alhaji Yussif Mahamah, Head- Electoral Security Department*
*0243311965*
The African Electoral Institute ( AEI) is a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) founded to deliver sustainable electoral solutions to Emerging and Developed Democracies to strengthen, augment, and build electoral stakeholders capacity and participation on electoral issues through electoral education on voter’s rights and freedom, electoral research, election monitoring, election observation, election results collation, election security awareness and training of polling agents and elections directors underscoring the fact that *”elections are won at the polling stations’’* and the participation of all identifiable electoral stakeholders in an electoral process such as Political Parties, Governmental Institutions, underpinning transparency and accountability for a free, fair, and credible elections in Africa and the wider world.
We are on: africanelectoralinstitute@gmail.com
*Motto: “Integrity of Choice”*
Source: Elvisanokyenews.com
