By Michael Foli Jackidy, GNA
Ho (V/R), June 24, GNA – Mr James Gunu, the Volta Regional Minister, has said the restoration of inland checkpoints in the Volta Region to their original security purpose presents an opportunity to reaffirm the principles of citizenship, human dignity and equal treatment for all Ghanaians.
In a statement, he said the issue transcended security infrastructure and border management and touched on broader concerns of national unity, belonging and citizens’ relationship with the state.
He noted that while every nation had a responsibility to secure its borders and maintain law and order, security measures must be implemented in a manner that respects the rights and dignity of citizens.
The Volta Regional Minister said: “Checkpoints, when properly managed, serve legitimate security purposes. They are intended to monitor movements, prevent illegal activities and ensure the safety of citizens.
“However, when security measures are perceived to target specific communities or regions unfairly, they cease to be instruments of protection and instead become reminders of exclusion and discrimination.”
Mr Gunu said many residents of the Volta Region believed that under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, inland checkpoints had evolved from security facilities into instruments of intimidation.
According to him, what should have been routine security operations often left law-abiding citizens feeling alienated in their own country.
He said travellers within and outside the Volta Region frequently complained about repeated questioning, prolonged inspections and persistent demands to prove their identity.
He noted that many people were particularly concerned about perceptions that individuals were judged not only by official identification documents but also by subjective factors such as appearance, dressing and language proficiency.
“Such practices, whether they were official policy or individual conduct, raised serious concerns about fairness and equal treatment,” he said.
Mr Gunu stressed that Ghana’s national identity was built on diversity and that no citizen should be compelled to conform to a particular cultural stereotype to be recognised as Ghanaian.
“Citizenship is not determined by appearance. It is not determined by accent. It is not determined by ethnic background. Citizenship is a constitutional status that belongs equally to every Ghanaian regardless of region, tribe, religion or political affiliation,” he stated.
He also expressed concern about reports that travellers were sometimes required to disembark from vehicles and walk through checkpoint barriers under difficult weather conditions.
He said such practices imposed undue hardship, particularly on elderly persons, pregnant women, persons living with disabilities and families travelling with young children.
“Security procedures should never come at the expense of human dignity. The effectiveness of a security operation is not measured solely by its ability to detect threats but also by its respect for the rights and welfare of those it serves,” he said.
Mr Gunu described the restoration of the checkpoints to their intended purpose as more than an administrative exercise, saying it offered an opportunity to rebuild trust between citizens and state institutions.
He said the move demonstrated that security could coexist with professionalism, fairness and respect for human rights.
The Regional Minister further urged successive governments to recognise that while political power was temporary, the impact of public policies on citizens could endure for generations.
“When citizens feel targeted because of their region, ethnicity or political leanings, the social fabric of the nation is weakened. Democracy thrives when every citizen feels equally valued and equally protected by the institutions of the state,” he said.
Mr Gunu acknowledged the contributions of the Volta Region to national development, noting that its people had played significant roles in governance, education, business and nation-building.
He, therefore, called on security agencies to remain guided by professionalism, constitutional principles and lawful procedures rather than assumptions, stereotypes or regional prejudices.
He commended President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, for measures taken to restore the checkpoints to their original purpose.
Mr Gunu also appealed to security personnel stationed at the various checkpoints to support the effective implementation of the policy by treating all persons with dignity, respect and fairness.
He said doing so would strengthen public confidence in the country’s security institutions and reinforce trust between the state and citizens.
“Ultimately, the debate about inland checkpoints is more than barriers and inspections. It is about the kind of Ghana we aspire to build – a Ghana where every citizen, regardless of where they come from, is treated with dignity, fairness and respect,” he said.
He added that, for many residents of the Volta Region, the restoration represented a reaffirmation of a fundamental democratic principle: that all Ghanaians are equal before the law and equally deserving of justice, dignity and respect.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah