The Ghana Police Service has announced the arrest of ten suspects and the confiscation of nine weapons in a security operation ahead of the Akwatia by-election.
Reports indicate the weapon consists of a pump-action gun and one locally manufactured single-barreled gun.
The weapons were seized by the Eastern South Regional Police Command in a series of snap checks and targeted operations.
In a series of operations, the Police on August 22, 2025, near the St. Dominic Hospital, intercepted a vehicle driven by Bernard Kumi Ofosu.
A Tulpar double-barrel pump-action gun, four AAA live cartridges, and two blank cartridges were recovered. The suspect produced a licence for the firearm, but is still in custody.
Joshua Amenuku was also arrested at the Akwatia Y-Junction snap check with officers finding 15 live BB cartridges on him, with Police checks at his home finding a Tulpar pump-action gun and more cartridges.
On that same day, Enoch Asiedu and Lu Youyan, a Chinese national, were arrested at the Boadua Livingstone checkpoint.
Pieterson Joseph was arrested on August 23 at the Boadua Livingstone Junction with a pump-action gun and 46 cartridges in his car.
Also, one Stephen Nkansah was arrested after he was intercepted in a Toyota Tundra pickup with registration WR 5535-13 was intercepted with search uncovered three pump-action guns.
In addition, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has already served notice that anyone who comes with arms during the Akwatia by-election will be dealt with by the Police.
The IGP assured the public of the Ghana Police Service’s readiness to provide a safe Akwatia by-election.
IGP Yohuno gave the assurance after the Police Management Board (POMAB) visited the High-Risk Operation Training Centre at Akyerematen on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.
According to the IGP, the Ghana Police Service is prepared to safeguard voters, electoral officers, political parties, and the media.
Speaking to recruits at the Police Training School at Kyerematen in the Eastern Region, IGP Yohonu stated, “During the Akwatia by-election, if you come with arms, we (Police) will deal with you with arms.
We have brought men here, and they are trained on how to handle arms. As we are going to the election ground, we decided to come and sharpen our skills for the by-election.
Today, they will move to Akwatia and assess all the threats just to let the country know that we are ready for the election, and all the threats we hear from social media have given us the room to prepare and to remove fear for the electorate in Akwatia that nobody can come here to cause any trouble,” he said.
He added, “We want to assure Ghanaians that the police is ready to handle any type of thing that may come in Akwatia. We are ready with the men. We have the men who can handle this situation, and then our eyes are red for Akwatia and nobody, nobody should think of coming to cause trouble”.
“No political party should mobilise men to come and foment trouble, and nobody should have in mind the intention of snatching a ballot box. We have prepared our men adequately to handle this situation, and that, I informed the political parties as I met them yesterday [Tuesday],” he explained.
Meanwhile, Henry Nana Boakye, the National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), also known as Nana B, has revealed the party will protect itself in the upcoming Akwatia by-election on Tuesday, September 2.
Nana B noted that the NPP party’s supporters being attacked during the Ablekuma North have made it necessary for the party to put its security measures in place.
Speaking on the Citi Eyewitness News on Tuesday, August 19, Nana B stated, “We have said that it is important that we protect ourselves. Self-protection is well defined within the remit of the law. We are not going to deploy any thugs. We are not going to deploy any vigilantes. No, but what we have said is that we are going to protect ourselves. I am not sure that is a crime.
“We will protect ourselves. All that we are saying is that the protection will not be unlawful. The protection will not infringe on any laws whatsoever. It will not be an act of illegality,” he stated.
Also, Salam Mustapha, the National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party, has alleged that the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) are likely to bring thugs to the Akwatia by-election.
Speaking in an interview on the Channel One Newsroom, Salam Mustapha stated, “When we were going to Ablekuma North, there were remarks from NDC people that they are going to retaliate for what happened in Ayawaso West-Wuogon and so on.
There were such remarks made by NDC people, and it happened. And I can tell you, knowing the NDC, they are very dishonest. We cannot trust them when they say they are not going to bing people there. You go there and the ‘azoka’ boys will be there. I know these people. We have worked over the period, and I can tell you that the NDC will bring thugs,” he stated.
