A private legal practitioner, lawyer Kwesi Bekai has disagreed with the position taken by the Ghana Police Service that it had no legal basis to have entered the chamber of parliament to maintain law and order when the chaos broke on Monday, December 20, 2021.
He said contrary to claims by the Police that it had no legal basis to enter the chamber, the Constitution guarantees them that legal basis.
He explained that the constitutional provision that guarantees the police the legal right to protect lives and property extends to the chamber of parliament.
The Ghana Police Service has explained why it refrained from visiting Parliament to enforce the law during the scuffle between MPs.
The Service has been widely criticized by some Ghanaians for failing to show up in the House to maintain law and order.
The Police in their response said “The legal position is that the Police have no authority to enter the Chamber of Parliament to undertake any law enforcement venture. Any such act will be in the contravention of the laws of the country,” it said.
The Police said the constitution allows only the Marshal of Parliament to handle security issues about the House.
The Service said although it is committed to maintaining law and order, it is “mindful not to overstep the limitations imposed on it by law”
“We have however initiated steps to engage the clerk, Marshal, and leadership of Parliament to fashion out a more proactive way of supporting Parliament in this regard within the confines of the laws of the country,” it added.
But the lawyer speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm disagreed.
He insisted that the Police is mandated to protect lives and property and the chamber of parliament was not an exception.
He predicted that the commotion that occurred on Monday would repeat itself when the house resumes hence the need for the Police to station some officers in the chamber.
He said the chaos has occurred more than twice and as a serious country, we should not allow it to happen.
“The claim by the Police that they cannot enter the chamber is not attainable. They have a constitutional duty to protect lives and property and the chamber of parliament is part of it. Even at the Jubilee House if there is the need, the security can go there and maintain order.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
