Former Attorney General Martin Amidu has expressed concern over what he describes as the deep politicization of Ghana’s security apparatus, particularly the Police, ahead of the December 7 elections.
In an opinion piece, Amidu criticized the Police for its selective engagement with media editors without consulting the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) or the Media Coalition, calling it a veiled attempt at political interference.
Mr. Amidu lauded the GJA for its skepticism regarding the Police Administration’s plan to station liaison officers at media houses during the elections.
He highlighted the GJA President, Albert Dwumfour’s concerns, quoting his remarks: “Is it a strategy to interfere with the work of the media? Is it a ploy to leak information from media houses? We can see some dark clouds surrounding this initiative by the Police, and answers to these questions will clear the sky.”
Mr. Amidu described Dwumfour’s remarks as a model of “rational optimism,” commending the GJA for prioritizing press freedom and resisting potential state surveillance.
The former Special Prosecutor expressed disappointment with the increasing politicization within the police, pointing to the 2023 Bugri Naabu leaked tape as evidence.
He alleged that appointments within the service have been manipulated for political gain, particularly to favor the ruling party’s election strategy.
Mr. Amidu stated, “The leaked recording achieved its objective of diverting attention from the underlying problem of the Police Service being compromised to serve a political agenda.”
He also accused Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Chair of the Police Council, of using state resources and Ghana’s digitization efforts as tools for political advantage.
Mr. Amidu questioned how Dr. Bawumia obtained private details of citizens for campaign purposes, arguing, “The downside of digitalization is its potential as an Orwellian Big Brother intelligence-gathering and surveillance tool usable for selfish election interference.”
He called on citizens to remain vigilant, emphasizing the importance of protecting free and fair elections from manipulation. “The vigilance of a patriotic citizenry is the truest bulwark against long games and election rigging come 2024,” he concluded.