Emmanuel Sowatey, a criminologist at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, UK, has indicated that the deployment of police officers cannot guarantee the safety and security of MPs.

He argued that Ghana's security services should rather look at another strategy to deal with armed robbers since they pose a threat to all persons living in Ghana.

“The security of MPs cannot be guaranteed by a single policeman even if the person has a fully loaded AK 47 which is 90 rounds, you cannot because you need to know the kind of threat you are engaging with,” Sowatey said on Joy FM last Friday.

He added that an insecure society endangers policemen and an endangered policeman will add no benefit to the parliamentarians they are to protect.

Sowatey’s call comes after the Ministry of Interior’s decision to deploy 200 police officers to protect the MPs.

Ambrose Dery, the minister for the Interior who is also an MP stated recently in response to the murder of MP Ekow Quansah Hayford that some measures have been instituted to counter the growing incidence of attacks on public officials in the country.

He told the parliamentary press corps on Tuesday that the move, which takes effect immediately, will facilitate the activities of MPs in the discharge of their services in the interest of the country.

“Government admits that the recent spate of attacks against public officials has made it imperative for this deployment to be embarked on,” Ambrose Dery said.