The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ofoase Ayirebi, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has issued a scathing rebuke of the Ghana Police Service, accusing the institution of gross negligence in managing electoral violence and warning that any future bloodshed during elections would be the responsibility of the police and those who fail to hold them accountable.
His remarks follow the recent violence that marred the Ablekuma North parliamentary rerun, which was held on July 11, 2025. Speaking in a media interaction, the former Information Minister called out the Police Service, civil society, media, and religious organizations, insisting they all share a collective responsibility in preventing further unrest.
“If there’ll be violence in Akwatia or violence in 2028, the first person to question is not a political party – it’s the Ghana Police Service and the IGP. If they fail and continue to be derelict in their duty, then they are those who are creating a scenario where people will resort to self-help”
Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, MP for Ofoase Ayirebi
Hon. Oppong Nkrumah described the Ablekuma North rerun as a glaring example of the Police Service’s failure to execute its constitutional mandate. According to him, the Electoral Commission had sought court intervention and political parties had petitioned the Police, yet they failed to provide adequate security for the collation of results.
“Yet again, violence erupted – and we all saw it on live television, people were caught on camera committing assault,” he said, expressing deep frustration that despite overwhelming video evidence showing the chaos during the rerun, no civilian perpetrators have been arrested.
“The Ghana Police Service has written in long English that they will investigate. Till this morning, no arrests have been made. That’s the third level of dereliction of duty”
Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, MP for Ofoase Ayirebi
Akwatia and the Looming Threat
As political parties gear up for the upcoming Akwatia by-election, Oppong Nkrumah raised concerns about the possibility of similar violent incidents. He stressed that political parties cannot guarantee peace – “only the Ghana Police Service can assure that. They are mandated to provide safety and security.”
He further referenced the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act passed in 2019, noting that the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) legislative efforts to curb self-help measures would be undermined if state institutions do not perform their roles effectively under the new government.
Hon. Oppong Nkrumah called out Ghana’s media, civil society, and religious leaders for their silence in the face of state inaction. He urged these groups to get tangible results from the Police about the ongoing investigations.
“I’m expecting that every morning, you will be reminding the Ghana Police Service about the status of arrest and prosecution of the persons who are involved in the Ablekuma violence.
“You need to call out the Ghana Police Service and hound them to do the right thing. If they don’t, and there’s violence in Akwatia or in 2028, the blood is on your hands”
Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, MP for Ofoase Ayirebi
He reiterated that Ghanaians should not wait for violence to occur before taking a stand, emphasizing that the consistent lack of accountability would foster a climate of impunity and erode public trust in democratic institutions.
Further Skepticism
In response to the incident, the Accra Regional Police Command issued a statement on July 17, 2025, detailing steps taken to address the violence. The Police claimed they were reviewing video footage, gathering statements from witnesses, and pursuing leads to identify and arrest culprits.
While acknowledging the interdiction of one officer involved in the assault on journalists, Hon. Oppong Nkrumah dismissed the statement as empty rhetoric. For him, the police’s assurance of security in future elections now remains “meaningless” until all pending arrests are made.
“Do you see plenty of English that we read? How many of the macho men seen on TV assaulting people have been arrested? All we have is plenty of English and no arrests”
Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, MP for Ofoase Ayirebi
The MP continued by warning that if the Ghana Police Service and the public continue to ignore these incidents, the country could see heightened violence in future elections from factions that believe they have to safeguard their own interests since the law wouldn’t for them.
“We should not encourage self help situations – nobody wants that. All of us have a responsibility to call out the Ghana Police Service. Don’t sweep it under the carpet and ask political parties ‘can you assure us of safety and security?’”
Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, MP for Ofoase Ayirebi
READ MORE: Kwabena Kwabena Taps Stars for ‘Asor’ Remix
