Election 2020: 62,794 security personnel to be deployed on election day

The Inspector General of the Police has said some 62,794 security personnel will be deployed across the country towards ensuring security in the upcoming December 7 elections.

The personnel, according to James Oppong-Boanuh will be from the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the Ghana Immigration and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Speaking at the press briefing in Accra on November 4, the IGP said personnel will adopt a four tier approach of policing ballots at all 33,367 polling stations and 275 collation centres.

“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,” the IGP indicated.

He added, “Patrols, rapid response and stanby forces will be deployed to provide swift action when the need arises. Personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces will join operational units of the Ghana Police and four security agencies.”

He continued, “For identification purposes, a special armlet will be worn by officers deployed for election day duties”

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service says it has identified some 6,178 flashpoints nationwide ahead of the upcoming polls in December.

The IGP on his part said the police service will however operate a joint operation centres on election day.

This, he explained, will prevent disinformation, misinformation and election-related violence in the upcoming polls.