As part of efforts to maintain civility on the country’s political landscape, the police administration has engaged the leaders of the two major parties in discussions about how best to lessen political tensions.
The Inspector General of Police called a meeting on Monday, April 17, 2023, where the Ghana Police Service, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) met to settle some political differences.
This was said in a statement the Service released following the engagement, pleading with the parties to conduct themselves honorably.
“They should do their politics and allow the Police to do policing. We therefore called on them to support us including by criticizing us constructively to do a professional job in line with our constitutional mandate”, the Ghana Police Service mentioned in its release signed by its Director of Public Affairs, ACP Grace Ansah-Akrofi.
The meeting was necessitated by press statements issued by the parties and subsequently followed by petitions to the Police Service with each party calling on the Police to arrest certain individuals of the other side for some alleged offences.
There was a chance for both parties to express their complaints. Their main concern centered on remarks made by some political figures on both sides of the aisle that were deemed to be offensive.
Recently, the National Organiser of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye forwarded a petition to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for the arrest and prosecution of former President John Dramani Mahama over his ‘do-or-die’ comment.
Nana Boakye said Mr. Mahama needs to be arrested for inciting political violence.
He also indicated that the NPP has included the National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah in the petition for saying that the NDC will do everything within its power to win the 2024 elections even if they have to sacrifice their lives.
It came shortly after the NPP said it fully supported the comments by Abetifi lawmaker, Bryan Acheampong.
The MP had said, the NPP will not hand over power to the NDC if they win power in the 2024 general elections – a comment, the NDC finds incendiary for which reason they want the Mr. Acheampong who doubles as Food and Agriculture Minister arrested.
Some officials of the NDC also petitioned the CID to arrest and prosecute Mr. Acheampong over the incendiary comments.
Read Full Statement Below
