Paul Nana Kwabena Aborampah Mensah, Programme Manager in charge of Security Sector Governance at Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), has commended the Ghana Police Service for its intelligence-led strategy in managing election violence during the 2024 polls.
Speaking on the aftermath of the elections, Mr. Aborampah highlighted the stark contrast between the 2020 and 2024 election violence responses, praising the Police for avoiding excessive force.
“In 2020, the atrocities we witnessed in Techiman South, where the Police used brute force, resulted in two deaths. Suppose the same approach was used in 2024, where violence erupted at about 20 collation centers. What do you think would have happened?” he asked.
Mr. Aborampah continued, “If only one polling center in 2020 recorded two fatalities, applying the same strategy in 2024 could have resulted in significant casualties. Instead, the Police adopted a more relaxed but intelligence-driven approach, allowing incidents to unfold and using investigations to apprehend suspects. This strategy has so far led to 132 arrests, with 45 suspects remanded and others facing various legal processes.”
According to a Police briefing on December 13, 2024, the arrests include 45 suspects in remand custody, 16 on court bail, and 71 on police enquiry bail.
While praising the strategy, Mr. Aborampah urged the Police to ensure accountability. “If we identify and punish offenders, then I can fully endorse this strategy. However, if election crimes are abandoned after a few months as we’ve seen in the past, it would be unfortunate,” he warned.
The remarks underscore the importance of sustained efforts to curb electoral violence and promote accountability in Ghana’s democratic processes.
