Police in full control
— Top police officer assures public
Story: Mary Mensah
THE Police Administration has assured the public that it is on top of the security situation in the country, spite of the several instances of violent clashes between supporters of the two main political parties in parts of Accra and other places.
It said the police would do everything possible to ensure that the isolated cases of violence did not degenerate into widespread conflict.
The Director-General of Police Operations, Commissioner of Police (COP) Mr John Kudalor, who gave the assurance, said the security measures put in place for the elections were still in full force and that security personnel were also firmly on the ground.
According to Mr Kudalor, the security plan which was put in place for the management of the elections was in three phases, noting that the first two phases had been implemented, while the last phase, expected to take care of post-election eventualities, would be extended beyond the Christmas festivities and the inauguration of the president-elect and thereafter.
He said throughout the country, reports reaching the headquarters indicated that the situation was relatively calm in all the regions, except the national capital and the Bekwai area where a man had alleged been wounded.
Mr Kudalor said concerning the incident which occurred at the Makola Market in Accra, the police received reports on some clashes there and quickly responded to bring the situation under control
He said people should not be alarmed at what was happening because the security agencies were in control, adding that normal and foot patrols had been intensified throughout the country to nip any violence in the bud.
He said the meeting between security chiefs and the chairmen of the two leading parties should send a signal to their supporters to listen to them to avoid any problem.
“There is no cause for alarm. We have regrettably and unfortunately recorded a few incidents, though, but it isn’t a situation that calls for throwing hands in the air in despair,” he stated.
“People should not be alarmed at what is happening; the security agencies are in control. We shouldn’t let the public feel that the situation has degenerated, as the media make it look or sound,” he explained.
According to Mr Kudalor, at worst, the appropriate measures would be employed to ensure peace and security in the country.
He advised supporters of the two parties to stay out of the streets and remain calm.
Meanwhile, the Metro Security Committee (MESEC) of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has added its voice to the assurances by the police to ensure the safety of all residents in the capital.
The assurance comes in the wake of recent disturbances at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and the Makola Market, both busy commercial centres in the city.
Addressing the media after hours of a closed-door emergency meeting between the police and MESEC, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Dr Alfred Vanderpuye, said, “The police are in readiness to protect every individual going about his or her legitimate duties.”
He expressed concern over the rising tension and pockets of criminal activities, including murders and stabbing of innocent residents, following the declaration of the results of the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections.
An attack on some traders at the Kantamanto Market brought about confusion in the central business district of the metropolis on Thursday, December 13, 2012.
As part of measures to curtail the increasing tension fueled by political rivalry, Dr Vanderpuye said, “All political parties are advised to restrain their supporters from taking the law into their own hands and visiting violence on innocent residents.”
He advised residents to report to the police any group of persons whom they suspected were organising themselves to attack anybody or call 18555 or 191 or 03022773906.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Nima Police investigates alleged burglary of three companies
THE Nima Police have begun investigations into the alleged burglary of three companies on the second floor of the Pyramid House in Accra on Saturday, December 15, 2012.
The companies are Blay and Associates, Precious Minerals Resources Limited and International Commercial Bank, all located in the Pyramid House on the Ring Road.
Already, security men and cleaners who were on duty at the time of the incident have been questioned.
The closed circuit television (CCTV) camera which had been installed in the building will be reviewed to see if it captured the perpetrators of the burglary.
According to the Public Affairs Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Freeman Tettey, about 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 16, 2012, a cleaner from the Pyramid House went to the Nima Police Station to report that some offices within the building had been broken into by thieves.
Following the report, some policemen were quickly dispatched to the scene to ascertain the truth or otherwise of the incident.
On arrival, Mr Tettey said, the police realised that three of the offices on the second floor of the building had been broken into by thieves.
He said documents and files were scattered on the floor in all the offices.
Further investigations, he said, revealed that one of the offices of Blay and Associates belonged to Ms Gloria Akuffo, a member of the legal team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He said the police were yet to discover whether things had been stolen because the incident happened on Saturday night when the workers were not at post.
He said information reaching the police indicated that one laptop was stolen from the offices of Precious Minerals Resources Limited.
So far, no arrests have been made.
The companies are Blay and Associates, Precious Minerals Resources Limited and International Commercial Bank, all located in the Pyramid House on the Ring Road.
Already, security men and cleaners who were on duty at the time of the incident have been questioned.
The closed circuit television (CCTV) camera which had been installed in the building will be reviewed to see if it captured the perpetrators of the burglary.
According to the Public Affairs Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Freeman Tettey, about 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 16, 2012, a cleaner from the Pyramid House went to the Nima Police Station to report that some offices within the building had been broken into by thieves.
Following the report, some policemen were quickly dispatched to the scene to ascertain the truth or otherwise of the incident.
On arrival, Mr Tettey said, the police realised that three of the offices on the second floor of the building had been broken into by thieves.
He said documents and files were scattered on the floor in all the offices.
Further investigations, he said, revealed that one of the offices of Blay and Associates belonged to Ms Gloria Akuffo, a member of the legal team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He said the police were yet to discover whether things had been stolen because the incident happened on Saturday night when the workers were not at post.
He said information reaching the police indicated that one laptop was stolen from the offices of Precious Minerals Resources Limited.
So far, no arrests have been made.
Youth Advised to Strive for Excellence
The Group Chairman of the AGAM Group of Companies, Mr Rowland Agambiri, has challenged the youth to be innovative and strive for excellence in their endeavours.
He said the youth must believe in themselves and begin to change their mindset and that of their communities by creating new opportunities.
Speaking at the end-of-year get-together of the group in Accra on Tuesday, the chairman said the youth must be inspired to be proud of themselves and begin to believe in the Ghanaian dream.
The event was to celebrate the success of the AGAM Group within the year and also give something back to society.
The AGAM Group comprises seven companies, with the flagship being RLG Communications.
The others are ACI Financial Services, ACI Construction Restoration, Mara Trading and Communications, Evolution Multimedia, CraftPRO and the Azongtaba Cottage Industries and Exchange Programme.
“It is better to start something and fail rather than sit idle and wait for manna to rain from heaven,” Mr Agambiri said.
According to him, “it does not matter where you were born or where you come from; the most important thing is what you can do to impact on your generation and those yet unborn”.
Mr Agambiri said today’s world was about the future of the youth and the Ghanaian society was yearning for the youth to create wealth for themselves.
He said his dream of creating one million jobs was still in full force and that he would not rest until that dream had been fulfilled.
He said although the year under review had been very challenging, the group managed to sail through and won several awards, one of which was the Number Two Company Award of the Ghana Club 100.
He said the AGAM Group intended to take advantage of the many neglected sectors in the country next year to make its dream of one million jobs in the next five years a reality.
The Group Chairman expressed his appreciation to corporate Ghana for believing in the AGAM Group
Mr Agambiri called on the public to be responsible in their celebration of the Christmas festivities, as Ghana needed them alive for the years ahead.
He said the youth must believe in themselves and begin to change their mindset and that of their communities by creating new opportunities.
Speaking at the end-of-year get-together of the group in Accra on Tuesday, the chairman said the youth must be inspired to be proud of themselves and begin to believe in the Ghanaian dream.
The event was to celebrate the success of the AGAM Group within the year and also give something back to society.
The AGAM Group comprises seven companies, with the flagship being RLG Communications.
The others are ACI Financial Services, ACI Construction Restoration, Mara Trading and Communications, Evolution Multimedia, CraftPRO and the Azongtaba Cottage Industries and Exchange Programme.
“It is better to start something and fail rather than sit idle and wait for manna to rain from heaven,” Mr Agambiri said.
According to him, “it does not matter where you were born or where you come from; the most important thing is what you can do to impact on your generation and those yet unborn”.
Mr Agambiri said today’s world was about the future of the youth and the Ghanaian society was yearning for the youth to create wealth for themselves.
He said his dream of creating one million jobs was still in full force and that he would not rest until that dream had been fulfilled.
He said although the year under review had been very challenging, the group managed to sail through and won several awards, one of which was the Number Two Company Award of the Ghana Club 100.
He said the AGAM Group intended to take advantage of the many neglected sectors in the country next year to make its dream of one million jobs in the next five years a reality.
The Group Chairman expressed his appreciation to corporate Ghana for believing in the AGAM Group
Mr Agambiri called on the public to be responsible in their celebration of the Christmas festivities, as Ghana needed them alive for the years ahead.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Court ordered BNI to produce Gbagbo's spokesperson
The Human Rights Court has ordered the Director of Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Attorney-General to produce Mr Justin Kone Katinan, Spokesperson for Mr Laurent Gbagbo, the immediate past Ivorian leader.
Granting an application for habeas corpus filed on behalf of Mr Katinan by his lawyer, Mr Patrick Sogbodjor, the court gave the BNI Director and the Attorney-General up to August 31, 2012 to explain why the former spokesperson should be held in continuous detention.
Since his arrest at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) by BNI operatives shortly on arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday, August 24,2012, Mr Katinan has been in detention at the Greater Accra Regional BNI Offices, near the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
Mr Justin Kone Katinan was picked up together with Ms Lucie Bourchouymieux, an Ivorian lawyer, who accompanied him from Johannesburg, South Africa to Ghana. Ms Bourchouymieux was, however, released later.
A statement signed by a Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said Mr Katinan’s arrest was based on a warrant issued by the Ivorian authorities on August 16, 2012.
The statement said President John Dramani Mahama, in accordance with the Ghanaian Constitution, had since asked the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to study the extradition instruments and advise accordingly.
According to Mr Katinan’s lawyer, no reason had been assigned for the arrest and detention of his client.
He said Mr Katinan had been registered as a refugee and had been living in Ghana under that status since April 13, 2011 to date.
He has been travelling in and out of the country until his arrest.
President Gbagbo appointed Katinan his spokesman following his own arrest in April, last year and subsequent extradition to stand trial at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
Thousands of Gbagbo loyalists fled to Ghana after the fall of his regime, following the post-election conflict in which some 3,000 people were killed.
Granting an application for habeas corpus filed on behalf of Mr Katinan by his lawyer, Mr Patrick Sogbodjor, the court gave the BNI Director and the Attorney-General up to August 31, 2012 to explain why the former spokesperson should be held in continuous detention.
Since his arrest at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) by BNI operatives shortly on arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday, August 24,2012, Mr Katinan has been in detention at the Greater Accra Regional BNI Offices, near the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
Mr Justin Kone Katinan was picked up together with Ms Lucie Bourchouymieux, an Ivorian lawyer, who accompanied him from Johannesburg, South Africa to Ghana. Ms Bourchouymieux was, however, released later.
A statement signed by a Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said Mr Katinan’s arrest was based on a warrant issued by the Ivorian authorities on August 16, 2012.
The statement said President John Dramani Mahama, in accordance with the Ghanaian Constitution, had since asked the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to study the extradition instruments and advise accordingly.
According to Mr Katinan’s lawyer, no reason had been assigned for the arrest and detention of his client.
He said Mr Katinan had been registered as a refugee and had been living in Ghana under that status since April 13, 2011 to date.
He has been travelling in and out of the country until his arrest.
President Gbagbo appointed Katinan his spokesman following his own arrest in April, last year and subsequent extradition to stand trial at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
Thousands of Gbagbo loyalists fled to Ghana after the fall of his regime, following the post-election conflict in which some 3,000 people were killed.
Police has put in place measures
THE Police Administration has put in place measures to ensure peace before, during and after the December 2012 parliamentary and presidential elections, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, has assured.
He said given the pace and rate at which security provisions for the elections were going, the December elections shall be successfully conducted.
At a meeting with the Eminent Persons Group and Members of the Peace Council at the Police Headquarters in Accra yesterday, the IGP expressed optimism that the elections would be totally successful if Ghanaians from all walks of life would once again stand up and rise to the occasion by portraying through their actions and inaction that they were peaceful and willing to promote national cohesion in the interest of democracy, freedom and justice.
He said the police as the lead security agency would be collaborating with other sister security agencies such as the Military, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), among others, to provide security at all polling stations.
Outlining some of the programmes and activities being undertaken by the police to ensure peaceful elections, Mr Quaye said election task forces had been formed throughout the country to monitor the elections and ensure peace.
He said the unity of purpose and the show of love and commitment to ensure a peaceful and orderly funeral of the late President of the Republic of Ghana, Prof. J. E. A. Mills, reflected the nature and character of the Ghanaian.
He said this singular event did show that Ghanaians were capable of rising above pettiness, divisive tendencies and pride to promote national cohesion, adding that violence in the true sense of the word was alien to the Ghanaian cultural environment.
Presenting the security environment in which the forthcoming elections was to take place, Mr Quaye gave a brief overview of the crime situation in the country.
He indicated that at the beginning of the year 2011, the police set for itself a target of five per cent reduction of criminal cases reported throughout the country.
He said 423 cases were recorded in 2011 as against 422 in 2010.
Mr Quaye said a review of the three-year period, 2009-2001 showed that there had been a systematic and consistent reduction of criminal cases.
The IGP asserted that apart from the commonly committed offences such as assault, stealing, threat and fraud, special focus was always paid to the four major offences (murder, rape/defilement, robbery and possession, use and distributions of narcotic drugs).
The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP), Mr Prosper Agblor, and the Director-General in Charge of Police Operations, COP Mr John Kudalor, gave presentations on the recent upsurge of communal violence in the country and subsequent police actions in dealing with them and the various preparation stages of the police towards the elections and the way forward to achieving peaceful elections.
For her part, Professor Ewurama Addy, the Chairman of the Eminent Persons Group, said the funeral of the late President showed that Ghanaians were peaceful people.
She said the police administration did an excellent job judging from the short period that they had at their disposal to organise the funeral, which turned out successful.
According to her, the security exhibited during the funeral had given Ghanaians the confidence and hope that the elections would be peaceful.
“We have to showcase once again to the sub-region that we have matured in our democracy,” she stated.
He said given the pace and rate at which security provisions for the elections were going, the December elections shall be successfully conducted.
At a meeting with the Eminent Persons Group and Members of the Peace Council at the Police Headquarters in Accra yesterday, the IGP expressed optimism that the elections would be totally successful if Ghanaians from all walks of life would once again stand up and rise to the occasion by portraying through their actions and inaction that they were peaceful and willing to promote national cohesion in the interest of democracy, freedom and justice.
He said the police as the lead security agency would be collaborating with other sister security agencies such as the Military, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), among others, to provide security at all polling stations.
Outlining some of the programmes and activities being undertaken by the police to ensure peaceful elections, Mr Quaye said election task forces had been formed throughout the country to monitor the elections and ensure peace.
He said the unity of purpose and the show of love and commitment to ensure a peaceful and orderly funeral of the late President of the Republic of Ghana, Prof. J. E. A. Mills, reflected the nature and character of the Ghanaian.
He said this singular event did show that Ghanaians were capable of rising above pettiness, divisive tendencies and pride to promote national cohesion, adding that violence in the true sense of the word was alien to the Ghanaian cultural environment.
Presenting the security environment in which the forthcoming elections was to take place, Mr Quaye gave a brief overview of the crime situation in the country.
He indicated that at the beginning of the year 2011, the police set for itself a target of five per cent reduction of criminal cases reported throughout the country.
He said 423 cases were recorded in 2011 as against 422 in 2010.
Mr Quaye said a review of the three-year period, 2009-2001 showed that there had been a systematic and consistent reduction of criminal cases.
The IGP asserted that apart from the commonly committed offences such as assault, stealing, threat and fraud, special focus was always paid to the four major offences (murder, rape/defilement, robbery and possession, use and distributions of narcotic drugs).
The Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP), Mr Prosper Agblor, and the Director-General in Charge of Police Operations, COP Mr John Kudalor, gave presentations on the recent upsurge of communal violence in the country and subsequent police actions in dealing with them and the various preparation stages of the police towards the elections and the way forward to achieving peaceful elections.
For her part, Professor Ewurama Addy, the Chairman of the Eminent Persons Group, said the funeral of the late President showed that Ghanaians were peaceful people.
She said the police administration did an excellent job judging from the short period that they had at their disposal to organise the funeral, which turned out successful.
According to her, the security exhibited during the funeral had given Ghanaians the confidence and hope that the elections would be peaceful.
“We have to showcase once again to the sub-region that we have matured in our democracy,” she stated.
GHANA will receive $600 million from the Group of 8 (G8)
Story: Mary Mensah
GHANA will receive $600 million from the Group of 8 (G8) for the implementation of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition.
The new alliance announced by President Obama at the May 18, 2012 G8 Summit at Camp David is a shared commitment by the G-8 nations, African countries and private sector partners to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years through inclusive government.
A Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Nii Amassah Namoale, said at the launch of the New Alliance in Ghana in Accra yesterday that Ghana’s selection alongside the other two African countries was as a result of its impressive economic growth and poverty reduction performance over the years.
He said the New Alliance focused primarily on catalysing private sector investment across African agricultural value chains and build on the G8 commitments made at L’Aquila in Italy.
The Deputy Minister indicated that the Alliance supported the accelerated implementation of existing frameworks, including AU/NEPAD’s Comprehensive African Development Plan (CAADP), which was known in Ghana as the Medium Term Agricultural Sector Development Plan (METASIP).
He said since the launch of the $977 million METASIP programme in July, 2011 to serve as a framework for pursuing enhanced agricultural performance in Ghana, there had been intensified efforts by the government, its development partners and the private sector to deliver on the programmes of the METASIP.
Nii Amassah Namoale asserted that the broad strategy of the METASIP was to manage food production and demand situations, and that selected communities had been targeted to attain food security and income diversification, especially of resourced poor farmers.
According him, a selection of major food crops, namely maize, rice, cassava, yam and cowpea that cut across all communities in the country would be given optimum support to attain food security.
He said the new Alliance for Food Security was seen by the government as an opportunity to enhance the focus, level of investment and accelerated implementation of the METASIP.
He said for decades the G8 and other developed countries had engaged with African partners to address the challenges and opportunities in Africa for sustainable growth and development,but it had been recognised that international assistance alone could not fulfill the shared objectives which were even more pressing now as Africa’s role in expanding the global economy was becoming more important.
“The private sector is, therefore, a significant partner in the tripartite alliance and opportunities for investment by the private sector’s span from farm production to operations along the agricultural value chain, including input supply, processing, trading, finance, warehousing and transportation,” he said.
GHANA will receive $600 million from the Group of 8 (G8) for the implementation of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition.
The new alliance announced by President Obama at the May 18, 2012 G8 Summit at Camp David is a shared commitment by the G-8 nations, African countries and private sector partners to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years through inclusive government.
A Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Nii Amassah Namoale, said at the launch of the New Alliance in Ghana in Accra yesterday that Ghana’s selection alongside the other two African countries was as a result of its impressive economic growth and poverty reduction performance over the years.
He said the New Alliance focused primarily on catalysing private sector investment across African agricultural value chains and build on the G8 commitments made at L’Aquila in Italy.
The Deputy Minister indicated that the Alliance supported the accelerated implementation of existing frameworks, including AU/NEPAD’s Comprehensive African Development Plan (CAADP), which was known in Ghana as the Medium Term Agricultural Sector Development Plan (METASIP).
He said since the launch of the $977 million METASIP programme in July, 2011 to serve as a framework for pursuing enhanced agricultural performance in Ghana, there had been intensified efforts by the government, its development partners and the private sector to deliver on the programmes of the METASIP.
Nii Amassah Namoale asserted that the broad strategy of the METASIP was to manage food production and demand situations, and that selected communities had been targeted to attain food security and income diversification, especially of resourced poor farmers.
According him, a selection of major food crops, namely maize, rice, cassava, yam and cowpea that cut across all communities in the country would be given optimum support to attain food security.
He said the new Alliance for Food Security was seen by the government as an opportunity to enhance the focus, level of investment and accelerated implementation of the METASIP.
He said for decades the G8 and other developed countries had engaged with African partners to address the challenges and opportunities in Africa for sustainable growth and development,but it had been recognised that international assistance alone could not fulfill the shared objectives which were even more pressing now as Africa’s role in expanding the global economy was becoming more important.
“The private sector is, therefore, a significant partner in the tripartite alliance and opportunities for investment by the private sector’s span from farm production to operations along the agricultural value chain, including input supply, processing, trading, finance, warehousing and transportation,” he said.
Government will support the security agencies.
THE Minister of the Interior, Mr William K. Aboah, has warned that the government will support the security agencies to deal appropriately with any miscreant who may decide to mar the upcoming electoral processes irrespective of the person’s political persuasion.
He said political violence in whatever shape or form had left imprints of devastation, fatalities, untold hardships and stagnation of economic development on countries which had experienced it.
At the official launch of the Election Training Programme for Law Enforcement Agencies in Preparation for the 2012 General Election at the Police Headquarters in Accra yesterday, the minister said Ghana today was recognised among the most distinguished countries in the world in terms of its multiparty democracy.
He said Ghana’s democratic credentials had placed it in a pole position on the world map and made it a role model in contemporary democratic dispensation, adding that since entering multiparty democracy in 1992, the country had successfully held elections in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.
Mr Aboah attributed this remarkable achievement largely to the profusion of professionalism, vigilance, selflessness, non-partisanship, hard work and commitment of the security agencies.
“Indeed the nation is indebted in gratitude to our security agencies for the unflinching support they always provide for our beloved country anytime the need arise and it is in this vain that I urge you not to rest on your oars but strive harder in ensuring that this year’s election is registered as an incident-free one,” the minister said.
He said it was the collective desire of every discerning Ghanaian that the December 2012 elections would be conducted successfully without any life being lost or property being destroyed.
Mr Aboah said it was in recognition of this fact that the government found it gratifying, appropriate and timely that the British Government had in collaboration with other stakeholders prepared a comprehensive training programme aimed at equipping the police and building the capacity of the security agencies throughout the country to meet all potential security challenges before, during and after the December 2012 elections.
The minister expressed the hope that the participants would take the training seriously for the ultimate benefit of mother Ghana and urged all the security heads to work in harmony and consolidate the very foundation of the nation’s democracy.
For his part, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, said training was one of the key requirements necessary for the development of available human resource in any organisation.
He said the training programme was also designed to address the issue of effective harmonisation of the operational strategies and tactics to be employed by all law enforcement agencies in order to reduce internal competition that usually ensued among security agencies during such events.
He asserted that a series of exercises would be conducted to enable participants to map out effective strategies to avert any such unforseen eventualities before, during and after the elections, adding that the unique programme line-up would help to identify special equipment and election-specific tools needed and how to effectively handle them to ensure smooth operationalisation of election activities.
The British High Commissioner, Mr Peter Jones, said he was proud that the UK was lending its support, both technical and financial, to this programme designed to make a critical contribution to the good conduct of this year’s election.
He said aside this programme, the UK was also supporting several aspects of the electoral and democratic process, including support to the Electoral Commission and the Judiciary, adding that no element was more important than ensuring that the police and other security services and agencies were optimally prepared and equipped to provide the right environment - a safe, secure and fair environment - for the people of Ghana to exercise their democratic right, “to have their say, to make their vote count and to decide the future of their country”.
The High Commissioner indicated that Ghana had earned for itself an enviable reputation as a beacon of democratic best practice to other countries. “The election in 2012 offers another chance for Ghana to show the rest of the world what it can do. I am sure that it will rise to the challenge, and once again set the standard to which others will aspire,” he said.
“Today marks the formal launch of awareness training programme which will extend to all regions of Ghana in the coming weeks. In total 16,000 security personnel drawn from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prison Service and the Ghana National Fire Service will benefit from a package that will equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge for them to fully understand their roles and responsibilities in support of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections,” he said.
He said another support would also include a new Aide Memoire card on security officers’ duties and correct roles and responsibilities during the elections, to be issued to personnel for use on election day.
He expressed the hope that this support and programme would help Ghana to again lead the way in electoral best practice.
He said political violence in whatever shape or form had left imprints of devastation, fatalities, untold hardships and stagnation of economic development on countries which had experienced it.
At the official launch of the Election Training Programme for Law Enforcement Agencies in Preparation for the 2012 General Election at the Police Headquarters in Accra yesterday, the minister said Ghana today was recognised among the most distinguished countries in the world in terms of its multiparty democracy.
He said Ghana’s democratic credentials had placed it in a pole position on the world map and made it a role model in contemporary democratic dispensation, adding that since entering multiparty democracy in 1992, the country had successfully held elections in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.
Mr Aboah attributed this remarkable achievement largely to the profusion of professionalism, vigilance, selflessness, non-partisanship, hard work and commitment of the security agencies.
“Indeed the nation is indebted in gratitude to our security agencies for the unflinching support they always provide for our beloved country anytime the need arise and it is in this vain that I urge you not to rest on your oars but strive harder in ensuring that this year’s election is registered as an incident-free one,” the minister said.
He said it was the collective desire of every discerning Ghanaian that the December 2012 elections would be conducted successfully without any life being lost or property being destroyed.
Mr Aboah said it was in recognition of this fact that the government found it gratifying, appropriate and timely that the British Government had in collaboration with other stakeholders prepared a comprehensive training programme aimed at equipping the police and building the capacity of the security agencies throughout the country to meet all potential security challenges before, during and after the December 2012 elections.
The minister expressed the hope that the participants would take the training seriously for the ultimate benefit of mother Ghana and urged all the security heads to work in harmony and consolidate the very foundation of the nation’s democracy.
For his part, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, said training was one of the key requirements necessary for the development of available human resource in any organisation.
He said the training programme was also designed to address the issue of effective harmonisation of the operational strategies and tactics to be employed by all law enforcement agencies in order to reduce internal competition that usually ensued among security agencies during such events.
He asserted that a series of exercises would be conducted to enable participants to map out effective strategies to avert any such unforseen eventualities before, during and after the elections, adding that the unique programme line-up would help to identify special equipment and election-specific tools needed and how to effectively handle them to ensure smooth operationalisation of election activities.
The British High Commissioner, Mr Peter Jones, said he was proud that the UK was lending its support, both technical and financial, to this programme designed to make a critical contribution to the good conduct of this year’s election.
He said aside this programme, the UK was also supporting several aspects of the electoral and democratic process, including support to the Electoral Commission and the Judiciary, adding that no element was more important than ensuring that the police and other security services and agencies were optimally prepared and equipped to provide the right environment - a safe, secure and fair environment - for the people of Ghana to exercise their democratic right, “to have their say, to make their vote count and to decide the future of their country”.
The High Commissioner indicated that Ghana had earned for itself an enviable reputation as a beacon of democratic best practice to other countries. “The election in 2012 offers another chance for Ghana to show the rest of the world what it can do. I am sure that it will rise to the challenge, and once again set the standard to which others will aspire,” he said.
“Today marks the formal launch of awareness training programme which will extend to all regions of Ghana in the coming weeks. In total 16,000 security personnel drawn from the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prison Service and the Ghana National Fire Service will benefit from a package that will equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge for them to fully understand their roles and responsibilities in support of the Presidential and Parliamentary elections,” he said.
He said another support would also include a new Aide Memoire card on security officers’ duties and correct roles and responsibilities during the elections, to be issued to personnel for use on election day.
He expressed the hope that this support and programme would help Ghana to again lead the way in electoral best practice.
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