The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has issued a scathing critique of the Ghana Police Service following what it describes as a disturbing failure of law enforcement during the July 11 parliamentary rerun in the Ablekuma North Constituency, warning that the security lapses represent a “clear and present danger” to the country’s democratic stability.
The condemnation follows a violent scene at the St. Peter’s Society Methodist Church polling centre, where armed thugs disrupted voting while police officers reportedly stood by without intervening.
During the chaos, former Minister and Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Hawa Koomson, and the NPP parliamentary candidate, Nana Akua Afriyie, were physically assaulted. Also caught in the melee were two journalists and the NPP’s deputy national organiser, Chris Lloyd Asamoah.
In a sharply worded statement released on Monday, July 14, CODEO blasted the police for dereliction of duty despite what was supposed to be a robust security deployment.
“The security lapses observed during this election rerun—despite the visible police presence—raise very serious questions about the state of the Ghana Police Service,” the coalition stated.
CODEO also raised alarm over the presence of unauthorized individuals—believed to be political vigilantes—loitering near polling centres in unregistered vehicles. Their unrestrained movements, the group noted, created an environment of fear and voter suppression in what should have been a secure and orderly electoral process.
Even more alarming for CODEO was the apparent continuity of a trend first observed during the 2024 general elections.
“This posture of the police was observed during the 2024 elections and transition,” the coalition recalled. “The continued emasculation of the Ghana Police Service,” it warned, “could erode public confidence in democratic processes and threaten national security.”
The group is now calling on President John Mahama and the Police Council to urgently activate their constitutional mandate under Article 202(2) of the 1992 Constitution to restore discipline and credibility to law enforcement ahead of upcoming electoral exercises.
“This must be done urgently to ensure clear remedial actions are taken ahead of the upcoming bye-election in Akwatia,” CODEO urged.
The coalition further called on all key democratic stakeholders—the Electoral Commission, political parties, judiciary, and security services—to confront the growing threat of election-related violence, political vigilantism, and declining police autonomy head-on.
“The failure to act now could undermine Ghana’s young democracy and endanger future electoral processes,” CODEO concluded in its urgent appeal.
