A security analyst, Adam Bonaa, has said an independent complaint commission for citizens should be set up by the office of National Security to receive complaints from Ghanaian, as the Ghana police administration prepares to deploy its first body cameras to enhance police accountability and transparency.
This follows reports of an upsurge in police brutality against ordinary people.
The police service is expected to take delivery of 300 pieces of body cameras by May 2019, which will be worn by officers to record sounds and capture videos for later review and analysis.
Mr Bonaa, however, thinks although the wearing of the body cameras by officers is in line with international best practice, it is but one of the solutions to the problem, adding that a more holistic approach must be adopted.
He told Accra-based Citi FM on Thursday, 21 March 2019, that: “One of my recommendations over the years, have been: let’s have an independent national security agency’s citizens’ complaint commission or authority. The name looks long but the idea is that we all know that apart from the police the military have also provided some peace-keeping or have enforced the law in a way. Together with the police, we have the immigration every now and then, they come into the news that they’re extorting money from immigrants, suspected illegal immigrants and, so, let’s find a more holistic approach to this.
“The bodycams alone will not be a solution but it is one of the solutions which I think will be in tune with best international practices, where, when a police officer stops me, I should be able to ask the police officer: ‘I hope your bodycam is working’.”
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
