Asutifi North Election Taskforce Engage Political Parties Ahead of Elections

The District Police Commander of Kenyasi in the Asutifi North District of the Brong Ahafo Region, ASP Teddy Damptey-Brown has issued a stern warning to political parties and politicians in the area to desist from acts that will derail the peace in the constituency ahead of the polls in November, 2016.

He stated his outfit will not hesitate to apply the law and sanction persons who fall foul of the country and therefore for support from all political parties in the area ahead of the elections.

The Police Chief, who is also the Chairman of the Asutifi North Election Taskforce, issued the warning at a meeting with the various political parties in Kenyasi. The meeting was aimed at interacting and collaborating with the political parties to design strategies to ensure free and fair elections as well as ensure the police to perform their duties without fear or favour.

He explained the Police will need full collaboration from the political parties to maintain law and order to ensure the developmental needs of the district is prosecuted by presenting his outfit with schedules of their campaign activities.

“Only the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has fashioned my office with their schedule of activities. Its my hope that the other parties will do same to enable us plan and map out the necessary security arrangements”, he added.

ASP Brown revealed the police and the committee will be setting up a Joint Operation Centre (JOC) to promote continuous communication between police, stakeholders and the political parties as way of reducing suspicion on election and other security matters.

He lamented the increasing rate of crime in the district which pose serious security risk in the area and called for support from all stakeholders to deal with the situation.

The Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Adam Issifu pledged his party’s commitment and readiness to cooperate with the police and committee to ensure the November, 2016 polls was conducted peacefully.

He however appealed to the Police and Electoral Commission to step up their engagement with all stakeholders.

For his part, the Communication Officer of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), Fosu Solomon commended the committee for the interaction and called for more of such deliberations as a way of deepening the country’s democracy.

He expressed his party’s preparedness to collaborate with the police for a free, fair and a non- violent election and added the PPP was known for its good ideas for the country’s development.

He blamed all electoral violence on the doorsteps of the NPP and the NDC and urged Ghanaians to vote massively for the PPP in November for the country’s development.

In a move to ensure some sanity in security arrangements towards a peaceful electioneering process this year, the Asutifi North Election Taskforce being engaging religious bodies, schools, groups and stakeholders to fashion out measures to ensure incident free elections.

It brought together Chairmen and Youth Wings of mainly the NDC and PPP political parties.