There is a pressing need for conflict management, professionalism, and continuous education within the police force to foster positive civil-police relationships and uphold human rights during public demonstrations. As the December polls approach, it is crucial for police institutions to enhance their training in crowd management.
Security, intelligence, and conflict analyst Anthony Aquaye emphasized this during the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM, hosted by Kofi Owusu in Accra. He criticized the leadership of Democracy Hub for their role in the recent demonstration, asserting that citizens must respect laws and maintain order during public engagements.
Aquaye urged police to conduct their civic duties with professionalism, aiming to build healthy relationships with the public and prevent conflicts during demonstrations. He stressed the importance of police reading on-the-ground intelligence to identify and manage potential threats, helping to avoid any escalation of tensions that could lead to instability.
He cautioned that the police have a responsibility to protect citizens during demonstrations and should not act in a manner that serves political interests, which could undermine the integrity of the Ghana Police Service.
In a related development, Prince Ganaku, a member of the Democracy Hub legal team, accused the Ghana Police Service of unlawfully arresting over 46 protesters during a three-day demonstration against the government’s handling of the economic crisis and illegal mining, known as galamsey.
Ganaku claimed that the police failed to provide a comprehensive list of those arrested, forcing members of the group to search the streets of Accra for the missing demonstrators. He alleged that detainees are being held in various locations across the country, denied legal representation, and are set to be arraigned in court on Tuesday, September 23.
“In our efforts to secure bail for them, we engaged with the police, but they declined to provide us with a list of those arrested. We were told, and I quote the police, ‘to go roam the streets of Accra and if we find them, fine. If we don’t find them, fine,’” Ganaku said.
He also mentioned reports of an order from higher authorities to prevent detainees from accessing legal representation, with indications that they would be held incommunicado before being brought to court. “All these actions appear to be deliberate measures taken to punish the protesters,” he added.
“We only know what the police have informed us. While we have some information on certain individuals, we do not have a complete tally of all those arrested,” Prince Ganaku concluded.
Story by: Alexander Kukah
