Bureau of Public Safety petitions Akufo-Addo over MPs police protection

The Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) has petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to defer the deployment of two hundred police personnel to protect Members of Parliament (MPs).

The BPS, which on several occasions protested the deployment by the Interior ministry maintains the move could expose the citizens to violent crime.

It further argues that services such as police response to distress calls from citizens and motor traffic control and highway patrols will be affected.

Although the Ministry of Interior has already done the deployment, Executive Director of the BPS, Nana Yaw Akwada believes “it is important that the president intervenes in this matter to ensure that the general population is secured”.

The deployment of police personnel to guard MPs came after Mfantseman MP, Ekow Kwansah Hayford, was shot and killed by a group of men suspected to be armed robbers.

The MP was returning from campaign duties with his team on October 9, 2020, when the incident occurred.

Following the gruesome murder of the MP, some MPs revived the conversation on the need to be provided with police protection, especially in this election year.

But the BPS insists that “whatever might have happened to an MP at least had happened to ordinary civilians in multiple times, so it is not prudent to say that you’re protecting an MP when the people who elected that MP still remain exposed to violent activities in the country”.

Nana Yaw Akwada is, however, optimistic that the president will give a positive response to their petition in order to salvage the already limited police strength.