The Managing Editor of Newscenta newspaper, Elvis Darko, has cautioned that the deployment of more than 5,500 police officers to Akwatia ahead of Tuesday’s by-election is not a guarantee of peace and order.
Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Monday, September 1, 2025, Mr. Darko argued that security presence should not be confused with effectiveness. He cited the Ablekuma North by-election rerun, where officers failed to prevent violent incidents despite being present.
“The heavy police presence in Akwatia is expected, but I don’t see it as intimidation. However, their numbers also don’t mean they will necessarily do their work. We saw it in Ablekuma North when police were near the violence but were running away,” he said.
Fear of Ineffectiveness
Darko warned that unless the officers act swiftly and decisively to stop clashes, the risk of violence remains high. “The fact that 5,500 have been deployed does not mean much if they run away again, as they did in Ablekuma North. If incidents happen and they fail to swiftly intervene, then violence is certain,” he added.
Limited Political Stakes
Despite concerns about violence, Darko downplayed the political weight of the by-election, stressing that the outcome would not alter the composition of Ghana’s Parliament.
“In this election, there is nothing at stake. The NDC already has more numbers than the NPP, and whoever wins will not tilt the power balance in Parliament,” he explained.
The Akwatia by-election is scheduled for Tuesday, September 2, 2025, and has already attracted strong attention from both the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
