The Ghana Police Service has returned the fire from the public for accusing them of sitting idle to allow some Members of Parliament to turn the chamber into a boxing arena without acting on it.
On Monday night, there was chaos on the floor of Parliament between the Majority and Minority MPs following the voting on the controversial Electronic Levy.
Due to that, some concerned Ghanaians have questioned why the Police did not go into the Chamber to maintain law and order and take action against Members of Parliament who were seen engaged in what looked to many violent disturbances and scuffles in the Chamber of Parliament.
In reaction to the public concern, the Ghana Police Service in a statement issued by the Public Affairs Director, ACP Kwasi Ofori explained that by Ghana’s constitutional arrangement, security issues within the chamber of Parliament are the responsibility of the Marshal to Parliament who takes instructions from the Clerk of Parliament on such matters.
According to the Police, the legal position is that the Police have no authority to enter the Chamber of Parliament to undertake any law enforcement venture, adding that any such act will be in contravention of the laws of the country.
The Police stated that “Therefore, the Marshal and his team of officers have to deal with such situations in the Chamber and thereafter refer the matter to the Police for investigations and possible prosecution if the leadership of the House so decides”.
The statement continued that “the Police wish to assure the public that in as much as we are committed to our mandate of maintaining law and order in the Ghanaian society, we are also mindful not to overstep the limitations imposed on it by law”.
“We have, however, initiated steps to engage the Clerk, Marshal, and leadership of Parliament to fashion out a more proactive way of supporting Parliament in this regard within the confines of the laws of the country” the statement underscored.
BY Daniel Bampoe