Open letter to IGP on DCOP Prince Waabu brouhaha

Dear Mr IGP,

I write about a letter released under your command and control dated February 19, 2024, with reference number and heading; PAD/PRESS/VOL4/1/93 and POLICE STATEMENT ON COMMENT BY DCOP MR GABRIEL PRINCE WAABU ON ELECTION SECURITY respectively, where the Police Service claimed to disassociate itself from a comment made by DCOP Gabriel Prince, during a panel discussion on JoyNews, that the Police Service had learned lessons on ensuring peaceful elections, which means it will exclude the military from this year’s election.

Mr IGP, I am putting it to you that the statement made by DCOP Gabriel Prince Waabu has been the aspiration of many Ghanaians looking forward to seeing you achieve it, as one of your strategic goals going into the 2024 general election after parading your gallant men and women to successfully supervised two crucial by-elections at Kumawu and Assin North without the direct involvement of the military which obviously made some of us have the confidence in your leadership to fully ensure that the authority given to the Ghana Police Service by the 1992 constitution is strictly exercise without any fear or favour.

But Mr IGP, I must tell you in your face that this statement from your outfit has exposed your forwardness, for not being the man you portray yourself to be, your inability to stand firm by the guiding principle and upholding the golden rule of oneness in the service, by sacrificing a fellow senior most officer whose statement gave hope and assurance to Ghanaians on how preparedness and capable your institution is, ahead of the forthcoming 2024 general election.

Mr IGP, the statement from your outfit is not only unfortunate but also demoralises the spirits of your men and women and exposes the weakness of your leadership.

Mr IGP, I am by this write-up challenging the Ghana Police Service under your leadership to come out and explain to Ghanaians what is factually wrong with the statement made by DCOP Gabriel Prince Waabu which has warranted him to be subjected to an internal disciplinary process.

Mr IGP, I need answers to these questions; Is it not factually correct that the police institution is mandated by the 1992 constitution as the custodian of the country’s internal security operations in maintaining peace, law and order? Again, which part of the 1992 constitution states that the decision by the police not to involve the military in election security in Ghana is unconstitutional?

Mr IGP, learning from the 2020 General Election, where eight citizens were killed by soldiers, with one of their justifications linked to how they are trained in handling civilian matters born fundamentally out of the military doctoral framework, I would expect that, if your administration has in its election security strategy to involve soldiers at the front line in the forthcoming 2024 general election, Ghanaians should by now know the explicit role of the military and how you are going to address the command and control friction that emerges between the police and the soldiers during a joint security operation, and moreover, how soldiers can be educated on the basic law enforcement practices and policing culture to avoid some of this unfortunate incident that occurred during the 2020 general election.

Signed
Anthony Acquaye
Security, Intelligence, and Conflict Analyst.