2016 polls will be safe - John Kudalor

Inspector General of Police John Kudalor has reiterated the need for personnel in the service to exhibit a high sense of professionalism before, during, and after the elections in December.

Mr Kudalor, who was speaking at a meeting with the election security task force in Accra on Thursday October 6, also provided updates on measures the police service had taken to ensure violence-free polls.

He said: “We have so far met the leaders, representatives of all the political parties and held discussions on how the parties and the police can work towards peaceful elections this year.

We have also met with officials of the Electoral Commission and discussed various issues relating to this year’s election. A successful National Police Command conference was held on 24 June under the theme, ‘Safeguarding Our Democracy, Safe and Secure Environment before, during and after Election 2016’.”

The IGP noted that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the preparation made so far by the national election taskforce towards the upcoming December elections and more so, to come up with proactive measures to achieve their set goals and objectives before, during and after the elections.

“As I indicated earlier, I have toured all the regions to hold similar discussions with the various regional commanders in our bid to make sure we do our possible best to secure this election which we have no doubt will be keenly contested. Regional commanders were advised to comply strictly with the communiqué released at the National Police Command conference held on 24 June, 2016,” he stated.

Mr Kudalor further disclosed that other measures to ensure a violence-free poll was that the service was “engaging the youth, traditional leaders, opinion leaders, and leaders of political parties in the regions to collaborate on proactive measures to ensure peaceful elections. …We have also managed to get all the political parties to sign a communiqué to resort to legal means in dealing with election-related grievances rather than resorting to violence”.

“We will be meeting the Catholic Bishops [Conference], Christian Council, the Muslim community, the charismatic churches, and the Pentecostal Council. These are all geared towards achieving a violence-free election,” he added.