Security agencies warn troublemakers
The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshall Michael Samson-Oje, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr John Kudalor, have warned that the security agencies will expose and prosecute any group of people who will create problems in the run-up to the December 7 election.
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The two security chiefs gave the warning when they addressed members of the National Security Task Force at the Black Star Square after a four-and-half hour march through some principal streets of Accra.
Air Marshall Samson-Oje said the security agencies would not allow any politicians with selfish dispositions to destabilise the country as it happened in other sister African countries.
“The security agencies will not sit down for the country to be destroyed for the sake of people seeking political power.”
“As security personnel, we have seen a number of countries that have been devastated as a result of people seeking political power,” he said.
Air Marshall Samson-Oje said with a few weeks to the election, the stakes were very high, and that the security agencies were ready to quell any acts of violence.
He said the military and the other security services that had been on international peacekeeping missions had learnt at first hand the devastating effects of war.
He said even those who did not have the opportunity to visit those countries had seen the devastating effects of wars and conflicts on television and other media channels.
Air Marshall Samson-Oje indicated that most of the wars and conflicts, especially in Africa, had arisen out of elections and power struggle.
He said the walk was to also send a signal to those intending to disrupt the electioneering process and jeopardise the peace and tranquillity of the country.
IGP
For his part, Mr Kudalor said the police had the obligation to protect the peace and security which had been maintained over the years.
He said since the inception of the Fourth Republic, the security agencies had contributed immensely to ensuring the success of the country’s democratic and constitutional rule.
“Indeed, we have the obligation to protect the peace and security which has been maintained over the years,” he said.
Mr Kudalor, therefore, warned that the security agencies would henceforth go after anybody whose utterances posed a threat to the peace and stability of the country.
“This also applies to those who rain unwarranted insults on the leadership of the security services in the bid to run down, discredit and ridicule their personalities in the media.”
Mr Kudalor said the security agencies would not allow people to hide behind the cloth of politics and freedom of speech to use vulgar, insulting and provocative language before, during and after the election.