DCOP Waabu’s comment was nothing but the truth, Police distancing itself unfortunate – Minority

The Minority in parliament representing the Defence and Interior Committee has heavily descended on the Ghana Police Service for distancing itself from remarks made by Director General, Research and Planning of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Mr. Gabriel Prince Waabu regarding security arrangements for the upcoming 2024 general elections in December.

Mr. Waabu on Monday, February 19, 2024, during a panel discussion on Joy News revealed that the police service has planned not to involve the the military in maintaining security in this year’s elections, emphasizing that the police service had learnt its lessons.

“Whatever happened in 2022, a lesson has been learnt out of it. We’re not going to involve the military as it were, because it was not the police that came out with this issue. So it’s going to be only the police, the prisons, fire and then immigration that is going to conduct this elections,” he said.

However, a statement issued by the police described Mr. Waabu’s comment as unfounded, explaining that it does not represent the position of the service.

In response to the incident, the minority in Parliament criticized the decision of the police to disassociate itself from what DCOP Waabu said.

In a press conference in parliament on Tuesday, February 20, Member of Parliament for Builsa North Constituency in the Upper East Region, James Agalga, emphasized that Mr. Waabu’s comment is borne out the law.

“We are very disturbed by the press release issued by the police because we believe strongly that the statement made by DCOP Gabriel Waabu was nothing but a statement of fact borne out of the police service act itself and the 1992 constitution. The police service act clearly state that in matters of internal security, the police service has the primary role and responsibility to maintain law and order,” he stated.

He continued by stressing that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is expecting the police to do a diligent job in the December 7 elections, warning that they will not accept that other security agencies come in to do the job of the police.

“It is our expectation that moving into election 2024, we expect the police to discharge their mandate very effectively and efficiently in order to make it unnecessary for the military to be brought in because the military as you and I know, are not trained primarily to maintain internal law and order and so when you bring them in, normally you are bound to have certain challenges. As much as possible, we think that the police service should be adequately equipped and tooled to perform their functions and only bring in the military as a last resort.

“We will not countenance any meddling in the task assigned the police service moving into election 2024 by any other security agency of our state unless and until the police themselves have found it necessary and reasonable to invite them to assist them discharge their mandate.”

 

Source:myrepubliconline