'It is not just simply protecting the police' - Peace Council Chair on arming MTTD officers

Chairman of the National Peace Council has admonished the police administration to train it's Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) officers on the use of arms, before deploying them.

According to the Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante, what is at stake is not just simply protecting the police but the citizenry as well.

“For some of them, over the years they have not even handled weapons. So if they are going to be given weapons they need training,” he told Joy News.

Last week the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, directed the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong Boanuh, to arm all police officers on traffic duty. This follows the fatal shooting of two policemen at Budumburam near Kasoa in the Central Region. It brings to five, the number of police officers who have been murdered within a month.

Rev. Emmanuel Asante believes that the current crisis is not an opportunity to pit the police against the citizenry. He maintains that it is in the interest of everyone to ensure that the police are successful in what they do.

“I think the desired responsibility of the citizens is to support the calls for peace and promote that which will ensure the peace and development of the nation,” he pointed out.

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