CSM-SI pushes for the establishment of an indeptendent police commission among other urgent reforms

The Civil Society Movement on Social Inclusion condemns the act of violent misconduct by a Police Officer against a woman at the Midland Savings and Loans Branch in Accra which reportedly occurred on Thursday 19th July 2018.

A video that surfaced online on Friday, 20th July, 2018 showing an armed police officer named Frederick Amanor violently assaulting and dragging a female customer of the Shiashie branch of the Midland Savings and Loans company has come to our attention and we would like to condemn this detestable act of brute force against a woman.

For the victim Patience Safo, who with her grandchild had gone to the said company to demand a withdrawal of her savings to cater for her needs and to be physically abused in that manner is rather unprofessional, unfortunate and we consider this act as criminal and must be dealt with as such to ensure that justice is served, and the culprit brought to book.

Violence against women is recognized in international law as a violation of human rights. Again violence against women is a violation of the right not to be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as protected by The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UDHR Article 5 and The International Covenant on Civil and Political Right, ICCPR Article 7.

Recent reports of rising police officers’ infractions especially in relation to the violation of the human rights of Ghanaians is creating fear and panic among Citizens. The gunning down of seven people at Manso Nkwanta; the prospective National Service Personnel who were manhandled by security officers, beaten with belts and sticks; Journalist Latif Idris, Who was brutally beaten almost to death at the headquarters of the Ghana Police Service are but a few examples of police brutalities against the citizenry.

The Police Act (350) 1970 enjoins the police to maintain safety of persons but they are rather perpertrating these abuses in our society. These concerns cannot be raised without mentioning the abuse metted out to the child during the scuffle at the banking hall. This we consider as a clear contravention of Article 19 of The Child Rights Convention (CRC), which states that children have the right to protection from from hurt and mistreatment, physically and mentally.

Article 3 of the UDHR states that "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person’’, and aticle 5 states "No one shall be subjected to torture, or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’’. Additionally, Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana recognizes Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms (Respect for Human Dignity). Article 15 (2) mentions that ‘’No person shall, whether or not he or (she) is arrested, restricted or detained, be subject to torture or othe cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

With the growing trend of abuse cases by personnel of the Ghana Police Service, we question whether the agency has received any capacity training on human right and child protection issues and whether they really have a clear understanding of these issues in accordance with local and international standards.

Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nation frowns on abuse, violence and torture. In the same vain, Articles 6 and 9 of the International Covenant on

Civil and Political Rights (1966), protects the right to life and the right to liberty and security of person. It is of these instruments that the State (police) has the direct obligation to protect its citizens from violence as part of their functions and for this responsibility to be abused in such a manner by an officer of the Law calls for serious consequences.

The Civil Society Movement on Social Inclusion considers the conduct of the police officer as barbaric, despicable and we condemn it in no uncertain terms.

Accordingly, the Movement is in full support of all on going investigations of the matter and is urging the GPS to make them transparent as well as share outcomes with the public.

The Movement is also keenly monitoring all on going processes in this matter to ensure that justice is done; and in addition wants the ff:

1. As a complementary effort to the GPS’s actions, a full scale independent investigation of the matter
2. The bank’s involvement in the whole matter to be equally thoroughly interrogated and appropriately sanctioned where applicable
3. Victim support including compensation for Madam Patience and her grandchild to be pursued and coordinated by the Social Welfare Department
4. A medium to long term intervention of institutional reforms in the Ghana police service to include an establishment of an Independent Police Commission to independently and adequately handle complaints against the police
5. A review of the curriculum for police trainees to include child protection orientation and make them more responsive to victim protection, gender empowerment and social inclusion needs.
6. An immediate capacity retraining should be organized for all police personnel across the country on citizens’ human rights, appropriate use of force in the line of duty, code of conduct, among others
7. The GPS must as a matter of priority launch a citizen engagement program to win back public trust in its work and the Movement is readily available to provide capacity support for such efforts

The Movement on Social Inclusion believes these demands are within the reach of all state actors committed to the reign of rule of law in the country and most especially the police service to help it rescue its sinking image and restore public confidence. These must therefore be granted within a reasonable period. The movement is committed to engaging all available legal means to enforce them to end the culture of violence.

Meanwhile the Movement is urging citizens to remain calm but resolute in providing the law enforcement agencies ample space and time to settle the matter within the ambit of the law in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.

The Civil Society Movement on Social Inclusion is a broad coalition of civil society organizations and activists working to eliminate systemic barriers that reinforce the marginalization of socially excluded groups including women.

For more information, kindly contact on Joyce +233 20 022 1014 Francis +233 24 391 318 Eyram +233 24 823 823 Eunice +233 50 256 8484 Mina +233 24 270 4558 Jonathan +233 50 465 8894

Disability Rights - Chiefs join the bandwagon

In Ghana, traditional leaders have a lot of influence over their subjects. They are crucial change agents, especially in small communities. Our Partner, Voice-Ghana, a Ho based disability interest NGO, targeted them (chiefs) in its project dubbed “Stronger Voice" under the Gender Quality and Social Inclusion Call.

The 12-months long project, linked up Self-Help groups of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) with their local government authorities in development planning. Beneficiary local government areas are Akatsi-North, Nkwanta-North and Central-Tongu districts, as well as Nkwanta-South and Krachi-East municipalities.Traditional leaders were actively involved in the mutual selection of projects, such as water systems, school blocks, libraries, mother and child welfare infrastructure, among others.

The project has built-in innovations and linkages that raised the collective and individual image of PWDs.  Conversations with some chiefs and vivid accounts of PWD-Traditional Authority interactions, triggered by the “Stronger Voice” project, gives indications of great progress in securing the rights and interests of PWDs.

Nana Kwaku Dente, a chief of Pai-Katanga, in the Krachi-East district has shown immense interest in the activities of Persons with Disabilities. Nana Dente, has had rounds of interaction with Voice-Ghana officials, which completely cleared his mind of negative dispositions, foisted on him by tradition, against PWDs. According to Nana Dente “I meet here with the PWDs, and the atmosphere, is always cordial. Our discussions lately, have been on a project for the community, coming through the PWDs here, under the ‘Stronger Voice Project’".

“ We involved the Municipal Assembly was involved. A library project was selected. That is fine.  Might not be the end of such opportunities. Nana Dente and the leaders of the PWDs, also mentioned the need for teachers with special education skills to be posted to the schools in the communities.

Togbe Korsinyi Agyeman IV, Chief of Adidome, in the Central Tongu District, is a stalwart on the issue of PWD rights and interests, having been influenced heavily by Voice-Ghana’s ‘Stronger-Voice’ project. He is vociferous about those rights, and would talk endlessly about PWDs, being his subjects, and with the same rights as those without diabilities. one of the PWD representative noted that the “chief's voice is strong and growing stronger in support of their interests”. Togbe Agyeman is passionate about the kindergarten picked for the district under the “Stronger Voice” Project. He readily gave land for it and keeps demanding appraisal on how it is proceeding. For him a state-of-the-art kindergarten with all the disability friendly wares is apt for now, just as the PWDs want it.

At Ave-Dakpa, three royals, Togbe Yaoga Sodoke, Lawson Ziddah and Togbe Adranyi, represent the backbone of the PWD community. They speak for them, boost their lobbying at the local government outfits and elsewhere, stand-up to their denigrators, even as traditionalists. There is the certainty that stigmatization, name calling, discrimination of and against PWDs are receding, slowly but surely. The sweetest realization is that traditional authorities are in the bandwagon to get PWDs into their rightful places in society.

It is obvious, no doubt, the Stronger Voice project, has contributed to empowering PWDs to become more self-assured in the activities of their local communities.

From the local communities to their various Assemblies, PWDs are now indispensable publics.  From Ave-Dakpa and Ave-Afiadenyigba in the Akatsi-North District to Adidome in the Central-Tongu District, through Chaiso, in the Nkwanta-South Municipal Assembly, then to Pai-Katanga in the Krachi-East Municipal Assembly, Abunyanya in the Nkwanta-North, and many other places, cordiality between traditional authorities and PWDs was evident.

Cheerful PWDs, would enthusiastically walk you to traditional authorities, and they traditional authorities, would received them and their guests wholeheartedly.