Police scold Ursula over NPP self defense comment

The call by the New Patriotic Party Parliamentary aspirant for Ablekuma South for supporters of the party to take steps to protect themselves in the 2012 general elections has ruffled the nerves of the police administration.

Ursula Owusu at an outdooring ceremony of the NPP women’s wing in Akwatia, in the Eastern region, re-echoed what has now become the controversial catch phrase “all-die-be-die” but in a different form.

She said the NPP supporters have every right under the constitution to self defense if they are attacked by the NDC supporters.

She again noted that the NPP, like any other Ghanaian, has every right to a freely and fairly elected president and must ensure no group of people deny them that right if the police and other institutions of state suddenly develop cold feet in taking action against miscreants who cause problems.

She cited reported incidents of skirmishes in the Central Region in which some supporters of the NDC forcibly prevented the ex-First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings from addressing her supporters.

Ursula Owusu was outraged over reports that the police, instead of arresting the perpetrators for breaching the peace and for such unlawful acts rather decided to negotiate with them.

She told Joy News’ Sammy Darko examples of police ineptitude abound, stating that every Ghanaian has a right to self defense if attacked and if the police look on, failing to execute their statutory duty.

“If they continue with this attitude of negotiating with those who break the law instead of enforcing the law to the letter; we want assurances from the security agencies, from the Electoral Commission, from the government of the National Democratic Congress, from the president of the Republic of Ghana that they will ensure that the 2012 elections are held in an atmosphere of peace devoid of violence and of intimidation and of fear,” she stated.

She said it is the actions of those who break the law that has the potential of throwing the country into chaos and not those who are defending themselves from their aggressors.

But the Police say the utterances of Owusu are in bad taste.

Acting director of Police Public Relations DSP Cephas Arthur told Joy News that a political “heavy weight” in the person of Ursula Owusu must not be inciting supporters into violence.

He said the police administration has in previous elections carried out its mandate thoroughly and promised that it would not disappoint Ghanaians.

He said the police will always welcome constructive criticisms which will engender self introspection, assuring the police will live up to expectation.

Cephas Arthur said all the police need is obedience of the law by the citizenry and they will perform.

credit:myjoyonline