It appears there is some behind-the-scenes campaign among some police officers to reject food ration that comes with their lockdown duties.
The agitation begun on Whatsapp platforms created by the policemen from the ranks of constables to chief inspectors and their depot (course) mates is gathering momentum.
The policemen want GH¢100 daily as promised them for the enforcement of the restrictions order instead of food.
An article written by one of the officers has since gone viral on the various Whatsapp groups and it has received the tacit support of members.
The article among other things said “if the Police Administration cannot promote our welfare in times like this, the best they could do is not to complicate it. The food being served is cold and unwholesome, especially during this period when experts advice is to stay off cold food and prepare food from home.”
“Police is not immune to covid-19. Join hands and let’s demand for our ration by boycotting the food being served”, were his concluding remarks whiles calling for a total rejection, thereby sparking the agitations among the ranks.
The police administration has since explained to them how they came by the decision to supply them food instead of cash but some of the police officers are adamant.
Some policemen initially complained of non-payment of the amount whiles others claimed they were only paid ?50 instead of the ?100 per head per day, apart from the fact that they said the food given them was not only poor in quality but also not up to the amount they are entitled to.
When the agitations started the police administration issued a statement not denying the non-payment or the reduction in the amount of money to be paid to men performing such duties but instead rationalising their decision to supply them with food which they insist is of poor quality.
Their reason was to save policemen from leaving or deserting their duty post to go food hunting.
“Do they want to tell us that when they send us on guard duties and all that, when we go we don’t eat before we go to work and that they have been bringing us food at our duty post?”
“It is just an excuse to take our money and this is not the first or the last it will happen; they do it all the time, even on election and registration duties,” he revealed.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu