Joseph Ade Coker, the former Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has backed the IGP Christian Tetteh Yohuno’s proposal to recruit youth from Bawku into the police service.
According to Joseph Ade Coker, the IGP was trying to unite the two factions in the Bawku conflict with his statement.
Christian Tetteh Yohuno, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) sweet-talked the youths in Bawku with Ghana Police Service recruitment.
According to the IGP Yohuno, should the Bawku youths lay down their arms, they will be recruited into the Ghana Police Service.
Speaking during a visit to Bawku on Friday, April 11, IGP Yohuno, “When it comes to recruitment, we will give the people of Bawku priority. We will give the youth of Bawku priority, and so for that matter, a special team will come here to do special recruitment for the youth of Bawku”.
“I know how hardworking people from this area are. So we are pleading with you—just let us know where we are going wrong so we can quickly correct those things and make sure that you continue to work with our people diligently.
“Where, by mistake, we have done something wrong, forgive us. We won’t repeat those things again,” he added.
Reacting to comments made by the IGP, Ade Coker noted that most youth in the Bawku area are unemployed.
He revealed that the area is a farming community but because of the drought they have neglected the agricultural sector.
Speaking on Channel One TV Ade Coker stated, “Most of the youth in the Bawku area are unemployed. In those areas, the birth rate is very, very high, and it is not commensurate to the employment situation.
As they keep growing, they don’t get work to do. This is supposed to be a farming community, and unfortunately, because of drought, they have neglected the agricultural sector. So these are idle hands,” he explained.
He added, “I think the import of what the IGP is saying is to unite the two factions. Because if you have the Kusasis and the Mamprusis people working in the police force together, they understand themselves. They are able, through the training, to understand why the two of us must come together and work”.
Meanwhile, Security Analyst Colonel Festus Aboagye (rtd) has stated the Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno Police recruitment promised a bad precedent.
According to Colonel Festus Aboagye, the IGP must be careful not to make statements he cannot fulfil.
He asserted that galamseyers will also say if you recruit them into the army they will stop illegal mining which sets a bad precedent.
