General News of Sunday, 18 August 2013

Source: Joy Online

Ghana Police is becoming lawless – Kweku Baako

Editor in chief of the Crusading Guide Newspaper says the Ghana Police Service is taking undue advantage of the Presidential Election Petition to become lawless.

Kweku Baako Jnr., said no matter how well intentioned the actions of the police appear to be, that action must be grounded in law.

He was speaking on the Newsfile programme on Joy FM, on some of the issues that have attended the Presidential Election Petition.

The Police have in recent times prevented political groups from embarking on any form of demonstrations in the country.

They have cited the Supreme Court case and the need to commit men to protect and secure the Supreme Court premises as reason for stopping political grouping from undertaking any form of demonstration.

And there have been several attempts to embark on demonstrations, all of which have been thwarted by the Ghana police.

Malik Kweku Baako Jnr., said the seeming ban on demonstrations by the police is completely lawless.

He said whilst the judges are right in advocating for politicians to be law abiding and put their faith in institutions, it is also time for the institutions to also respect the laws of the country.

“There is also the need for the institutions to also obey the law and do the right thing. A classic example is the Ghana police taking advantage of this case to virtually ban demonstrations without recourse to the law.

Couldn’t they have gone to the court for the courts to give them that power? On their own they have initiated a ban of a sort. That is also lawlessness,” Baako remarked.

“All of us have a commitment to build a law governing society. It takes all of us; not just one section,” he added.

Nyaho Tamakloe

Kweku Baako Jnr., did not also spare Dr Nyaho Tamakloe who has called for the resignation of the NPP General Secretary, Sir John.

He said no serious leading member of a party will be calling for the resignation of another party member on radio.

Whilst he is indifferent to the call for Sir John to resign, Baako said “the route applied [by Nyaho Tamakloe] is so improper.”

“If you think this man is now an embarrassment to the party [and should resign], there is a way, particularly when you are not a serial caller.

“So you know the constitution of the party and you know how to initiate some action," he said.

"As for the intrusion of the All-die-be-die thing [by Dr Arthur Kennedy] the least said about it the better," Kweku Baako added.

Arthur Kennedy in rejecting the call for the resignation of Sir John said the party cannot support the flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo who made an equally irresponsible comment in the all-die-be-die mantra and turn around and ask Sir John to resign.