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Police Commander Warns Northerners Against Violence

Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)
NEWS
December 17, 2004
Posted to the web December 20, 2004

By Edmond Gyebi
Tamale
Says elections are over, we are all one people.
The Northern Regional Police Commander, ACP E. Oko Brakatu has warned that any
individual or group of persons who would try to disturb the peace process of
the country through their selfish activities, would be made to face the full
rigours of the law.
According to him, the police would never hesitate in dealing drastically with
any trouble seeker who would act without fear, respect for human life or
respect for the integrity of the country.
ACP Brakatu who was much critical of the people here in the Northern Region
said this in an exclusive interview with The Chronicle in Tamale, after the
regional police patrol team had mounted a thorough search into the allegation
that an unidentified group of people suspected to be supporters of one of the
biggest political parties had fired guns in the air at Warizehi in the Tamale
Metropolis.
Following the numerous clashes, personal attacks, insults and other public
disorders by the people in the North, the Regional Commander noted that
destroying of national properties, attacking people and the use of small arms
as well as other dangerous weapons were criminal offences.
Commenting on the conduct of some supporters of the two main political parties
in the Metropolis, ACP Brakatu appealed to the people to accept the verdict of
the Electoral Commission (EC) and throw their support behind the winning party
to enable them lead the country peacefully.
He also urged them to desist from all those vandalism, violent and acrimonies
that have the tendency to create unnecessary tensions and chaos.
According to him, the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), which most people
thought are very strict on the people are just there to ensure peace and unity
among the people, but appalling actions by some people normally compel them to
take bold decisions to save situations at a given time.
The Commander noted "the elections are over, we are one people, we have to bury
our differences, support the winners and make peace paramount and refrain from
unlawful behaviours that may end us in jail".
Mr. Brakatu assured Ghanaians that the police service would exploit all
possible means, skills, experience and holistic means to save the country from
any form of violent that may discredit the good image of Ghana as well as the
security agencies.
The Assistant Commissioner of Police noted that his men have been deployed to
patrol in all the trouble sots in the Tamale Metropolis and other parts of the
region to ensure total peace for the rest of the years ahead.
According to him, though there were some light mishaps by the political parties
during the electioneering campaign, he however commended all the leaders of the
parties for making the elections one of the most peaceful one in the African
Sub-region.
He therefore, appealed to the people to let the peaceful trend that existed to
continue till the latter.

   

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