As the nation prepares for the Assin North by-election on Tuesday, June 27, the police have issued a warning to the public asking them to refrain from disseminating false information online.
Following a meeting the Inspector General of Police conducted on Monday, June 26, with the heads of the political parties and other interested parties in Assin North, this warning was issued.
The dissemination of misleading information on social media is a worry that all the stakeholders want the public to help them address, the Police stated in a statement following the meeting.
“In this regard, we would like to urge the public to be circumspect in their reportage on the election and avoid circulating false information that has the likelihood to occasion a breach of peace since the police will take the necessary action against anyone found culpable.
“We wish to urge the people of Assin North constituency to go about their normal activities freely including going out to exercise their civic duty of casting their vote.”
Ghana Police Service
In order to ensure a safe, secure, and peaceful election, the Ghana Police expressed its gratitude to all stakeholders for their collaboration thus far and looks forward to the same level of cooperation for the final round of voting.
The Police Service assured Ghanaians in general and the residents of Assin North in particular that sufficient security measures had been put in place within the Constituency in order to ensure security, law, and order before, during, and after the election. The country will hold the Assin North Bye-Election tomorrow, June 27.
Additionally, the Police Management Board (POMAB) met this morning with key election participants, including the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), and the Electoral Commission, at the Inspector-General of Police’s request. The goal of the meeting was to strengthen the working relationship between all participants in order to ensure a peaceful election.
All of the stakeholders’ security concerns were acknowledged during the discussion and taken into account when developing the election’s final security plan.
MPs Bodyguards Ordered To Hand Over Weapons Before By-Elections
All bodyguards of MPs and other state officials who will be in Assin North in the Central Region for Tuesday’s by-elections were ordered to turn in their firearms by Inspector General of Police Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.
Less than 24 hours before the election, the IGP issued an order prohibiting them from carrying such rifles.
The order was issued following a crucial meeting on Monday between the leadership of the Ghana Police Service and representatives of the political parties and the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC).
Following the meeting, the IGP, who was in charge of the police force, gave the bodyguards instructions to hand up their guns to the nearest police station in the Assin North Constituency. As an alternative, they are required to deliver the guns to the Police Election Command Center in Assin Breku.
“Such weapons can only be collected after the election and upon specific directives to do so. Bodyguards are not to carry their side arms (pistol) to polling stations and collation centres. “Punitive action shall be taken against anyone who disregards this instruction or fail to comply with this directive issued by the Inspector General of Police.”
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