The Joint Police/Military Committee which was set up in June, 2018 by the Ministers for Interior and Defence to investigate clashes between the Ghana Police Service and the Military has submitted its report.
Presenting the 70 page document, Ms. Victoria Asieduwaa, Chairperson for the Committee, expressed appreciation to the Ministers of Interior and Defence for their invaluable assistance to the Committee.
She also commended the Regional Security Councils, the Police and Military Command and the rank and file of the respective security agencies for their cooperation and support.
Ms. Asieduwaa was optimistic that, the valuable solutions and recommendations, which the Committee had professed, when implemented, would ensure that such confrontations between the two institutions do not occur again or be reduced to the barest minimum.
Mr. Dominic Nitiwul, Minister for Defence, on behalf of the President, thanked the Committee for their dedication and commitment to making this report a reality.
He said, the unfortunate incidence that occurred was of grave concern and it was in that respect that the President charged the two sector Ministers to investigate the causes of the clashes.
He gave assurance that, the recommendations of the Committee would be implemented by Government.
“Government will study the report carefully and put to recommendations to effective use so we don’t have these problems any longer. Government will not allow the recommendations to gather dust.” he said.
Mr. Ambrose Dery, Minister for the Interior on his part, indicated that it was imperative for the two institutions mandated to maintain peace and security collaborate and cooperate with each other to achieve this mandate.
He noted that, the macro environment necessary for the successes of all government’s flagship Programmes was peace and security and that is what the President is committed to.
Mr. Dery used the occasion to admonish personnel from the security agencies to restrain from getting at each other but rather work together to keep Ghana safe.
He cautioned that, anyone who falls foul of the law will be dealt with accordance with the rule of law.
The Interior Minister appealed to the citizenry to give the security agencies all the needed support.
The Nine Member Joint Police/Military Committee was set up on June 22, 2018 in response to the 16th May, 2018 clashes between personnel of the Ghana Police Service and the Military in Tamale, in the Northern Region.
The terms of reference for the Committee was to amongst others investigate clashes between the two institutions in the past 5 years; make appropriate recommendations for Police/Military collaboration to avert such occurrence in the future; recommend sanctions against those found culpable as well as appropriate compensation to deserving victims.
