Akwatia’s Peace Was on Police Bail – And That’s a reason for missing the Black Maria

By: OWARE Iddrissu

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The Ghana Police Service was present in Akwatia to maintain law and order as Akwatia contested a bye-election, pursuant to the demise of the Member of Parliament, Honourable Ernest Kumi.

For two short weeks, Akwatia looked like the kind of disciplined, peaceful community we like to brag about on campaign platforms. The Ghana Police Service, deployed to secure the bye-election by the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, brought calm to the town.

Their presence was palpable. Streets were calm, campaign activities were restrained, and residents went about their daily routines peacefully. Indeed, the police executed their duties with remarkable professionalism, ensuring discipline and civility prevailed when passions could easily have boiled over, especially the unnecessary noise pollution caused by the Okada riders and tricycle users.

But then the elections ended as soon as the ballots were cast and the results declared, and just like that, Akwatia snapped back, and the fragile calm evaporated as though it had been rented for a political showpiece. Indiscipline returned, and insubordination thrived.

This does not look like just an Akwatia problem. This is Ghana’s political tragedy.

Why should our communities only behave when the police stand over us? Why does law and order in this country rise and fall with the sirens of police convoys? Is it because our political culture has deliberately weakened the moral backbone of society? What it looks like: it is as if Politicians thrive on chaos—they weaponise disorder to mobilise crowds, intimidate rivals, and project influence. And when the dust settles, the ordinary citizen is left in a lawless environment that rewards indiscipline over responsibility.

The police deserve credit. Their presence was a reminder that when institutions actually function, peace is possible. For some reason, the people of Akwatia (Denkyembour District) miss the black attire touring the community and the Black Maria exhibiting its mechanical discipline. Because the peace which had been sustained by uniformed officers and their authority has quickly run away to unruliness, many residents have sadly come to accept as “normal”

Meanwhile, the moment peace depends entirely on police patrols, it is not peace at all—it is policing. Real peace comes from civic consciousness, respect for the rule of law, and leadership that values discipline beyond elections. But where are our leaders in this? Traditional authorities too often stay quiet until their influence is useful for political bargaining. Community leaders only speak up when there are funerals or festivals. And our politicians? They preach peace on campaign platforms, meanwhile, they are the very architects of the indiscipline that erupts once the uniforms leave.

Akwatia is a mirror, reflecting the bigger Ghanaian problem: we have outsourced our discipline to security forces. We wait for elections before we discover civility, and we abandon it the moment the ballot boxes are carried away. This cycle of “borrowed peace” is not sustainable.

If Ghana is serious about building a democracy that goes beyond slogans, then peace must stop being seasonal. It must stop being on police bail. It must be rooted in communities that do not wait for handcuffs before they act like citizens.

Until then, the insubordination and unnecessary noise-making in Akwatia will happen again—and again.