Former Member of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, Major Boakye-Djan (Rtd) has been released from police custody after he was arrested for allegedly instigating violence.
He is alleged to have stated that there could be a civil war should the EC continue with the impending voters’ register compilation.
The National Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), George Opare Addo in an interview with Kwame Afrifa Mensah on the ‘Epa Hoa Daben show, has however expressed his disappointment in the police service as he alleges that the police service was not operating independently.
“The police should not allow themselves to be used as puppets because it is a serious state institution and we expect them to do the right thing, so that Ghanaians can have faith in them. NPP will not be in power forever. Things will change. So we need stronger systems”, he said.
In his submission, he charged the police to display impartiality by arresting the New Patriotic Party(NPP)’s Deputy General Secretary, Nana Obiri Boahen and the regional chairman of NPP in the Bono region for recent comments instigating violence.
“Obiri Boahene has not been arrested. In Abronye’s case, President Mahama wrote to the IGP but nothing has been done. They should begin with these two so that we know that they are being fair”, he added.
He was of the view that unlike Major Boakye-Djan’s case, the two personalities of the NPP who have been cited in passing unsavoury comments were reported to the IGP for an action to be taken. However, the police failed to act on these complaints.
“The NDC party does not take this lightly because we have observed that people like Nana Obiri Boahen, Deputy General Secretary of the NPP and Abronye the Regional Chairman of NPP in the Bono region, have made serious statements that warrant police arrest. However, the police did not arrest them. Quite recently, Nana B went to studios of Asempa FM to assault Sammy Gyamfi. We lodged a complaint to the police but nothing has been done over the issue. Many at times, when issues like this are against the opposition party, the police is quick to make an arrest”, he said.
He explained that Major Boakye-Djan was unfairly arrested because he [Major Boakye-Djan] was expressing his opinions as a Ghanaian and advising the Electoral Commission to be mindful of the consequences a new voters’ register could bring.
“Nana Addo cannot infringe on our rights. We are courageous people who want peace. The president asked us to be citizens, not spectators. So if something is happening, as citizens, we have the right to talk about it”, he added.
The Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Obiri Boahen recently warned that anyone who attempts to disrupt the upcoming compilation of the new voters’ register will be beaten. Regional Chairman of NPP in the Bono region, Abronye, on the other hand, allegedly claimed that former president Mahama had planned to kill key members of the NPP and also had his former boss, President Mills killed.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah
