With just a week to the crucial Akwatia by-election, security analyst Richard Kumadoe has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) and political actors to fully support the police in maintaining peace and order in the constituency.
According to him, the police have demonstrated leadership by intensifying operations to flush out weapons, but sustaining peace will require cooperation from all stakeholders.
“The police have taken the lead in setting the area to flush out all weapons including locally manufactured guns,” he told ABC News GH.
Kumadoe stressed that the EC must play its role by ensuring that voting materials arrive on time to avoid delays that often heighten tension. He further charged politicians to act responsibly, warning that those with no direct stake in Akwatia should keep away from polling centres to prevent disturbances.
His comments come against the backdrop of a series of police operations in the Eastern South Region that have already led to multiple arrests and the retrieval of weapons ahead of the by-election.
The operations, which began last week, were targeted at curbing unlawful possession and circulation of firearms in the constituency, where tensions have been rising in the run-up to the poll.
On August 22, police near St. Dominic Hospital intercepted a vehicle driven by Bernard Kumi Ofosu and seized a Tulpar double-barrel pump-action gun, four AAA live cartridges, and two blanks. Although the driver produced a licence, he remains in custody while the weapon undergoes verification. That same day, officers arrested Joshua Amenuku at the Akwatia Y-Junction after he was found with 15 live BB cartridges. A follow-up search at his residence uncovered an ADLER Tulpar pump-action gun and five additional cartridges.
Later in the day, two suspects — Enoch Asiedu and Chinese national Lu Youyan — were arrested at the Boadua Livingstone checkpoint after officers discovered four live cartridges in their pickup truck. The ammunition was linked to their employer, only identified as Mohammed, who is currently on the run. In another operation, police at Boadua Livingstone Junction arrested Pieterson Joseph with an ADLER Tulpar pump-action gun and 46 cartridges in his vehicle. He admitted ownership of the weapon.
On August 23, the clampdown continued when police intercepted a Toyota Tundra at Staff Village, Boadua. A search revealed three pump-action guns — a Pardus, a Hulglu Atroe, and another unidentified brand. The driver, Stephen Nkansah, admitted ownership of two of the weapons and claimed the third belonged to his chief. He was immediately taken into custody.
The Eastern South Regional Police Command has since reiterated its resolve to maintain peace and order in Akwatia before, during, and after the by-election.
The command says such snap checks and targeted operations will continue, assuring the public that no individual or group will be allowed to undermine security arrangements.
Political observers note that the stakes in the by-election are high, and with tensions mounting, the role of the EC and political parties will be crucial in either defusing or aggravating the situation.
Kumadoe insists that the credibility of the electoral process depends not only on the professionalism of the police but also on the discipline of politicians and the efficiency of the EC.
