Kofi Bentil Detects Internal Dysfunction, Breakdown of Command And Control In Police

Kofi Bentil, Senior Vice President of policy think-tank IMANI Africa says if care is not taken and the security operatives in the country is not well coordinated, any group will emerge; cause harm and nobody will touch them' because 'we will assume they are from the National Security system'. 

His comment follows various issues that have emerged following the violence that occurred at the by-election held in Ayawaso West Wuogon which led to the formation of Justice Emile Short Commission of Inquiry.

The Police Service after masked wearing men were seen during the by-election in police vehicles and holding guns said they had no idea who they were. Even though the National Security later disclosed that the men were from their outfit, it made people query the efficiency and efficacy of the Police Service.

The Police and the National Security operatives took turns at the Short's Commission and their testimonies proved there is lack of coordination among them.

Speaking on Joy FM's ‘Newsfile’ programme, Saturday, Mr Bentil said: “I detect internal police dysfunction...There is also a breakdown of the command and control chain… and command and control should never be broken.”

According to him, “tomorrow, it can happen at the Jubilee House, Parliament House or it can be any by-election and then somebody brands any pick-up ‘SWAT’ and then masked men just arrive there and because of what has happened, we will all assume they are from the National Security system. They will kill everybody and drive away, and nobody will touch them. This is where the problem is, when you don’t have this coherent command and control arrangement and we have situations like this and people go unchallenged, we could easily create that gap where terrorists, ordinary people, butchers, criminals can just do us a lot of harm.”