‘Culpable officers in Tamale clash to be dealt with’

The Minister of the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, and the Minister of Defence, Mr Dominic Nitiwul, yesterday told Parliament that the military and the police officers who would be found culpable in the recent military-police clash in Tamale would be dealt with according to the law.

Reading a joint statement in Parliament, Mr Dery said preliminary investigations had been carried out.

He said a five-member committee had also been constituted from the two institutions and the Attorney-General's Department to conduct detailed investigations into the causes of the clash and recommend any further interventions beyond existing guidelines and protocols.

Mr Dery and Mr Nitiwul were accompanied by their respective service commanders to respond to the order by the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye, to brief the House on the development.

The order followed a request by the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, which was supported by the Deputy Majority Leader, Ms Sarah Adwoa Safo.

Recall

Armed soldiers reportedly attacked some policemen at various duty posts in the Tamale metropolis last Wednesday.

The armed soldiers, who were on board three branded military vehicles, according to eyewitnesses, first stormed the Northern Regional Police Headquarters and the Tamale Metro Police Command, both situated on the same compound, and fired warning shots, prompting the police to return fire.

Afterwards, the soldiers attacked policemen stationed at various banks and other duty posts in and around the metropolis without any provocation.

Joint durbar

Mr Dery said following the initial investigations, the two institutions agreed to hold regular joint durbars and other activities to enhance interaction and cooperation between the two institutions.

He said following the May 16 incident in Tamale, the two ministers convened a meeting of the top hierarchy of the police and the military, during which a decision was made to dispatch a high-powered delegation of the two institutions to hold separate meetings and a joint durbar with the rank and file of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Police Service in Tamale on May 17, 2018.

The minister said at the end of the interactions, the two institutions agreed to fully implement existing guidelines regarding the handling of personnel on disciplinary issues and breaches of the law and indicated that adherence to that would forestall such unfortunate incidents.

"Currently, full operational cooperation/collaboration has been restored in Tamale and the entire Northern Region, as pertains in the other regions in the country.

"The public is, therefore, reassured that there is full impetus towards their security and safety. The two institutions and their respective high commands are poised to preserve the sanctity of the cooperation achieved on a permanent basis," he said.

Mr Dery reiterated the confidence of the President and his security management hierarchy in the leadership and professionalism of the GAF and the Police Service.

"The public is, therefore, encouraged to extend maximum cooperation and support to the two institutions to enable them to continue to serve the nation effectively," he urged.

Mr Dery said he and his colleague Minister of Defence regretted the clashes which took place between elements of the police and the military in Tamale on May 16, 2018.

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Mr Iddrisu commended the security agencies for working to restore peace in Tamale and urged them to do more to restore peace and security in the area.

Ms Safo said it was unfortunate that the police and the military who were entrusted with maintaining security in the country would engage in fisticuffs.

She said it was reassuring that steps were being taken to ensure peace and security in the area.