Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, Executive Director, Institute for Democratic Governance, has said the silence of the police hierarchy on the violent clashes in Tamale and its surrounding areas smacks of confusion within the leadership. “We are not getting any clear direction, there is total confusion about the leadership of the police in dealing with an escalating violent situation and that is what is worrying.” He told Joy News on Tuesday that the police have also failed to even engage the public to know “what their stand is, what they want the public to do to assist them and support them so that they can do what is good for the country and the communities”. Commenting on the current clashes in the north that have recorded at least four deaths and the burning of about 30 houses, Dr. Akwetey described the situation as “a huge one” and have asked residents to “discourage it”, instead of “applauding it”. He said the Inspector General of Police should be on top of issues at times like this, when people would like to know how the situation is being handled. “We would like to hear something from the police at the highest level. The IGP, this is the time he has to speak, what is the police policy, because, the police can take independent action on inquiring violence or managing violence situation. Nobody has the mandate to do that other than the police.” The security expert said: “when the police is quiet and deadly quiet as they are, it raises serious concern.” Mr. Kwetey said a previous clash at the Chief Imams Office in Accra between the ruling New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress should have given the police some guidelines on how to manage the activities of the two parties. He noted that the clashes in Tamale “are well thought…it is not a coincidence that they did things on the same day”. Meanwhile the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tamale, Mr Mohammed Amin Adam, has expressed fears that with the persistent clashes, there could not be a violent-free election. “I could not guarantee peaceful election in Tamale and therefore the need for the Regional Security Council to come in with all the force behind them to ensure that everybody is able to exercise his or her political right to ensure that Tamale one again does not become a flashpoint.” He told Joy News’ Sampson Lardi Ayenini that he is doing all he could to ensure that peace is restored to the area because, “I do not want to be a Metropolitan Chief Executive who will leave here without leaving a good legacy for my people”. Story by Isaac Essel