Adding his voice to ensuring a smooth and safe election, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong Boanuh has assured the general public of a peaceful and safe election come December 7.
As all other agencies, parties and organizations prepare towards having an organized and transparent election, the IGP has also revealed that, the security service is also poised to ensure peace and security before, during and after the December polls.
Addressing the National Election Security Taskforce during a National route march today 26th November 2020, in Accra, Mr. Boanuh cautioned Ghanaians against acts that will compromise the security and peace of the nation.
“We are prepared to protect all the citizens and the ballot. What we expect is for you to be professional.”
The National route march by the security service, the National Ambulance Service and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE)was dubbed ‘Exercise Tafia Lafia’ which saw personnel from the military, the police, prison service, ambulance and the NCCE marching through some streets in Accra and other parts of the country.
The march was aimed at reassuring Ghanaians that, the security services are poised to provide the needed security for peaceful elections.
Peace and security have been on the lips of numerous Ghanaians as the nation nears the elections and this has seen various stakeholders, organizations advocating for this cause to be actualized.
The IGP also recently announced that, as part of measures by the Armed forces, 62,794 security personnel will be deployed to secure the general election in December.
The personnel will be drawn from the Police Service, Military, Fire Service, Prison Service, Immigration Service, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the Bureau of National Investigations.
Also on the call for peace, the National Peace Council, notable amongst the organizations advocating for this cause, as part of their calls urged both political parties to ensure peace. They also cautioned the youth not to partake in activities which will incite violence in their various communities and only ensure they protect the peace in the country.
The Asantehene, Otumfuor Osei Tutu also adding his voice to the calls urged the various political parties to ensure that, they protect the peace in the country before and during the elections and also after the elections are conducted.
He also cautioned his fellow chiefs not to take sides on political matters since their responsibility is to be neutral because they are seen as conflict resolvers in their various communities.
Not leaving the political parties out, both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) amidst their strong opposition, have also called on their party members to desist from causing chaos during the election period at various polling stations.
The Ghana Armed Forces, (GAF) as part of its preparation towards the December polls, have also trained journalists in military reporting, to help report ethically the happenings on the various deployment grounds and avoid misleading information by fact-checking before publication, in order not to report anything that will spark violence.
