ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo Calls for Exclusion of National SWAT from Ghana's 2024 Elections

Police Planning Officer at the UN Mission Support for Justice Reform, ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, has called for the exclusion of the National Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit from Ghana's upcoming 2024 general elections, describing the unit as "illegal" and unnecessary.

Speaking at the Peace Through Democracy forum, organized by the GIMPA Law Students Association on Wednesday, Dr. Agordzo expressed his concerns over the legality and the operational orientation of the SWAT unit under the National Security apparatus. He pointed out that, according to Ghana's Constitution, no other police service should be created apart from the Ghana Police Service unless authorized by an Act of Parliament.

“According to the Constitution, apart from the Ghana Police Service, no other police service should be created unless by an Act of Parliament,” he said, questioning the legitimacy of the National SWAT. “Where from the National SWAT? Who created it, and under what Act of Parliament?”

Dr. Agordzo argued that the unit's existence constitutes a violation of the Constitution and expressed fears that its deployment during elections could compromise peace and credibility. He highlighted the controversial role of SWAT in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, which was marred by violence and resulted in injuries and assaults, including the shooting of 18 persons at the residence of NDC candidate Kwasi Delali Brempong.

“Ayawaso West Wuogon is still fresh in our minds,” he said, recalling the incident. “If we really need peace, we must advocate that the National SWAT is not deployed,” Dr. Agordzo added.

The senior police officer emphasized that election security should be the exclusive responsibility of the police, supported by specially trained officers when necessary. He criticized the SWAT unit's orientation, claiming that it is designed to serve a particular regime and is not neutral enough to participate in the election process without risking impartiality.

Dr. Agordzo proposed alternative strategies, such as improving the capacity of the police force and involving stakeholders early in the election planning process to ensure a smooth and peaceful election. He also advocated for clear distinctions between strategies for by-elections and general elections, stressing the need to avoid saturating security forces in a single constituency.

“We don’t have the luxury of saturating security forces in a single constituency for national elections,” he said, calling for more balanced security deployment. Additionally, he recommended the inclusion of civil society organizations and think tanks in the National Election Security Task Force to ensure transparency and better decision-making, highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives in planning.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Agordzo called on authorities to refrain from deploying the military at polling stations, citing the example of the Techiman South by-election. "Techiman South is too fresh on our minds,” he cautioned. “We can do this election peacefully without deploying any military officer.”

The police officer’s comments reflect growing concerns about security measures during Ghana's elections, with many stakeholders calling for reforms to ensure peaceful and fair elections in the country.