Post-election violence could escalate – Dr. Anning warns

The post-election disturbances allegedly being perpetrated by New Patriotic Party supporters could escalate if not adequately addressed, a security analyst, Dr. Kwasi Anning has warned. Dr. Anning attributed these disturbances to failure of the police and the political parties to adequately deal with the perpetrators as required.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, he noted that some parties have encouraged the acts of aggression from some of their members, whilst the police have also been unwilling to punish political party supporters. “Throughout the electioneering campaign, political party leaders never dissociated themselves from the violent behaviour and the violent acts of their supporters.” “Prior to the election, police hardly ever dared to discipline the NDC or known NPP supporters when they flouted the law. If they did so, they did so reluctantly and we are beginning to see that same politically motivated policing behaviour manifesting itself once more,”

Dr. Anning stated. He thus cautioned that it was necessary the Police sends a clear signal that “irrespective of who you are, if you flout the rules, you are caught and punished, and it is even more imperative for the leaders of both parties to bring you to book if you are identified as a perpetrator.” “As we fail to prevent and deal with all those who are misbehaving, it is sending a signal that the impunity can go on,”

Dr. Anning noted. Mahama, Nana Addo must ensure smooth transition Dr. Anning further stressed that, it was in the outgoing President John Mahama and President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo’s best interest, to ensure that the handover of government was one done in the backdrop of a stable and calm country with functional institutions. He indicated that, if care is not taken, these disturbances, could “escalate into something extremely dangerous because the region in which we live is dangerous, there are opportunistic groups who are seeking to exploit this both for their radical extremist interest and criminal opportunistic economic ends.”

“The people responsible for defence, interior and national security must bring this to the top of their agenda otherwise they will have very little to defend… we shouldn’t take this as lightly as people are taking this,” he added. Instances of disturbances On Saturday, persons reportedly affiliated to the NPP took over the administration of the recently constructed interchange at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in the wake of the party’s victory in the 2016 polls.

There were similar reports of alleged NPP supporters arbitrarily taking over public installations across the country, reminiscent of scenes in the aftermath of the 2008 polls won by the NDC, which witnessed some of the triumphant party’s supporters take over the running of public toilets, toll booths and community centres.

Also in Kumasi, some NPP supporters stormed some public toilets seizing the keys to the facilities and assaulting some persons in the process. The most recent disturbances were on Monday morning when some NPP youth had illegally taken over the Tema Motorway toll booth. An eyewitness who confirmed the development to Citi News, said the angry youth sacked the officially designated toll collectors and were illegally taking the tolls themselves.

– By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana – See more at: http://citifmonline.com/2016/12/13/post-election-violence-could-escalate-dr-anning-warns/#sthash.TBbp9Fv4.dpuf