The Inspector-General of Police, James Oppong-Boanuh has disclosed that some 62,794 security personnel will be deployed to provide security ahead of the 2020 general elections.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, Mr. Oppong-Boanuh further revealed that, these personnel will be in their authorized uniforms except officers from the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police service.
“62,794 security personnel from the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Fire Service, the Ghana Prison Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, and the Ghana Armed Forces are being deployed for the elections.”
“All the personnel I have mentioned will be in their regular uniforms with the exception of officers from the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police Service and the Bureau of National Investigations who will remain invisible”.
Additionally, he maintains the personnel will assume a “four-tier approach to policing the ballots at all the 40,000 polling stations and 275 coalition centres.”
IGP Oppong-Boanuh advisedly admonished that, the security personnel will not hesitate to apply “strict actions where the need arises.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Boanuh has asserted that security agencies within the country have identified 6,178 flashpoints.
In spite of their identification, he noted that the police service recognize polling stations nationwide as flashpoints and as such will put premium on instituting security measures in the areas identified in a bid to maintain law and order.
“We are approaching all polling stations as flashpoints, however, we have identified 6,178 flashpoints nationwide”.
Explaining his stance on the matter further, Mr. Oppong-Boanuh said the conditions for determining areas which are categorized as flashpoints include crime rates, the conduct of previous elections in those areas and also the pervading situation during the recent voter registration process.
He further intimated that the police will put in place standby forces and patrols in the flashpoints to ensure that there is no mishap.
“The flashpoints were decided based on a number of factors such as incidence recorded in previous elections, this year’s voter registration exercise and crime rates and other factors related to those centres. As a result, our approach in these areas will be slightly different from other areas. Saturated patrols and standby forces will be visible to prevent any mishap. Hotspot and strategies for handling them will be reviewed based on emerging trends or issues”.
On October 13, 2020, Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh assured Ghanaians that the service will provide adequate security at all polling centres across the country on December 7.
Oppong-Boanuh who was then speaking to the media in Sunyani during a simulation exercise in the Bono Region assured ample security during the election.
Mr. Oppong-Boanuh noted that they identified various flashpoints in the region and are going to put in place adequate security on the day of election.
“The amount of security we provide here is the standard security but if you look at a place like Banda, we would have to beef up security in that area.
“So definitely, those flashpoints are going to be properly protected. Fortunately, we have had the registration as a form of rehearsal and it has helped us to identify the hotspots that would require special protection on the Election Day”.
