Jamestown clash: Intelligence in security setup dead – Security analyst

A security analyst, Adam Bonaa has described intelligence in the country’s security setup as “dead” after clashes in the Odododiodoo constituency on Sunday.

As of the close of day on Monday, no suspect had been arrested for partaking in the clash which lefts scores of persons injured in Jamestown.

Adam Bonaa said he is not surprised by the development as investigations into similar events in the past are yet to see the light of day.

His comments come after a peace walk in Jamestown over the weekend turned chaotic.

Supporters of the NPP and NDC in a circulating video on social media were seen throwing bottles, hauling stones and insults at each other in the Odododiodio constituency on Sunday morning.

Some supporters from both sides sustained various degrees of injuries with properties running into thousands of cedis destroyed.

The Odododiodoo constituency has been identified a top hotspot for potential violence going into the election in December.

In view of this, the security analyst believes the police downplayed the stationing of intelligence gathering mechanisms in these areas to avert the canker.

“You and I know that the Intelligence set up in this country is dead and doesn’t work. And so it is the reason why we seem to have all these security challenges with and outside Accra.”

Mr Bonaa added, “One would have expected that at least for these areas, there could be some temporary halt with regards to procession and movement of people in groups and all that  just to ensure that these places become peaceful going into election 2020.”

Speaking on JoyFM’s Top Story, the security analyst advised that the authorities and politicians tread cautiously ahead of the December presidential and parliamentary elections.

He argued that the incident is a testament to the fact that the country’s security agencies are not in control of the area.

“It is quietly slipping. How many days to the D-Day and it looks like we don’t have a full grip of the security challenges that we might see going into 2020,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has said it is working to ensure that violence is reduced as much as possible ahead of the December 7, polls.