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Police ready for election petition verdict – IGP assures

The IGP and his team during the courtesy call at the offices of the Graphic Communications Group Limited.The Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Mr Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan has given firm assurances for the public not to entertain fears of violence in the wake of the Supreme Court’s verdict on the election petition challenging the outcome of the 2012 presidential elections.

He said while the police are very hopeful that events will pass without any serious challenges, he and his officers are very ready to discharge their duties professionally in maintaining law and order.

The IGP gave the assurances Tuesday when he led the top brass of the Ghana Police Service to visit the offices of the Graphic Communications Group Limited.

“We are very hopeful that events would pass without any serious challenges, but just in case we have to deal with any situation, I want to assure you that we are very much appraised and ready to discharge our duties professionally,” the IGP assured.

He said already the police administration had started rolling out a number of strategic steps, and has also interacted with some concerned citizens and interested parties and will continue to dialogue with and sensitise religious bodies and traditional leaders on the need to maintain law and order.

The IGP assured that the police have activated cooperation activities with the other security agencies to provide an all-round security before, during and after the Supreme Court pronounces its verdict.

Mr Mohammed Alhassan was accompanied by Commissioner of Police (COP) Mrs Joana Osei-Poku, in-charge of the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS); Director General of Police, COP Rose Bio Atinga; the Director-General of Police Operations, COP Mr. John Kudalor; Director-General, Department of Public Affairs, DCOP Mr David Nenyi Ampah-Bennin; Director of MTTU, ACP Mr Angwubotoge Awuni; Director of Police Public Affairs, DSP Cephas Arthur; Superintendent Francis Yiribaare, Aide de camp of the IGP and ASP Gloria Donkor, Director of Public Affairs.

Receiving the IGP and his team were key GCGL management members led by MD, Mr. Kenneth Ashigbey; Director of Newspapers, Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo; Graphic Editor, Ransford Tetteh; Showbiz Editor, Nanabanyin Dadson; Sports Editor, Felix Abayateye; Junior Graphic Editor Mavis Kitcher; Graphic News Editor, Nehemiah Owusu Achiaw and a host of other line editors and desk heads, as well as members of the Editorial Committee of the Board of Directors led by chairman Prof. Kwame Karikari, Board Chairperson Dr. Doris Yaa Dartey.

The IGP also outlined a number of steps the administration was taking to combat crime, maintain law and order and instil a sense of confidence nationwide.

The strategies, he said, include the show of public visibility of the police, market patrols and rush hour police patrols, which he said also aimed at reducing the fear of crime and act as a preventive measure to deter criminals from embarking on criminal activities.The IGP in conference with Graphic News Editor, Nehemiah Owusu Achiaw, (left) and Graphic Editor, Ransford Tetteh.

The IGP also talked about enormous progress the police were achieving in the area of the maintenance of law and order, saying the situations in Nkonya/Alavanyo and in Bawku are largely under control. The same goes for the management of demonstrations where he praised the Ghanaian’s cooperative attitude to help maintain order.

He acknowledged that while crime cannot be eliminated entirely, there are clear indications that the police are on top of the challenges, combating violent crimes and bringing down the fear of crime.

The IGP said as people in the business of trouble administration, the police try to be ahead of trouble, and together with all collaborators, including the media, law and order will be maintained.

“Let me assure you Mr. MD and Board members that we’ve been working hard for a couple of months now knowing very well that we will be called upon to face challenges when the petition is decided. We have been working for some time now, we’ve been training, we’ve put up a lot of proactive measures, we have also embarked upon some sensitization interaction with pressure groups and our visit here is one of it, knowing very well the role of the media. We are not alone in this; we are working with other security agencies. In times like this we collaborate,” the IGP said.

The MD of GCGL, Mr. Kenneth Ashigbey appraised the IGP and his team of steps the media group was taking to contribute meaningfully towards the maintenance of law and order as well as supporting the police and other security agencies to do their work efficiently to sustain the peace as the nation await the verdict of the court.

He lauded the cordial relations between the police and the media, recalling a counsel of Prof. Karikari that in most places devastated by violence, it is the actions and inactions of the security forces that fuel the conflict. He said the Graphic Group would continue to bring to the notice of the police some of the shortcomings of the service in order that the police may chart a straight path to help build a stronger state.


Story by Isaac Yeboah/Graphic.com.gh/Ghana

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