Election 2020: Over 6600 soldiers will be deployed to support the police - IGP

James Oppong-Boanuh, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), has said over 6600 soldiers will be deployed to the various polling stations on December 7 to support the police.

According to him, there are a lot of polling stations in the country, therefore, the security officers will be deployed all over so that when something happens, they will be able to respond to it swiftly.

“These officers are [a] reserve, others are at rapid deployed forces. So, every locality has police, and soldiers serving as rapid deployed forces,” Oppong-Boanuh explained on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo Morning show on Thursday.

The IGP, who is the head of the National Election Security Task Force further stated that every polling station will have at least one security officer stationed there to ensure law and order on the day of the elections.

“Soldiers will not be stationed at the polling stations. They will be supporting the police and other security officers. So, if something happens at a place and it overwhelms the police, the soldiers will come in and support the police officers,” James Oppong-Boanuh said.

He warned that the security officers do not expect to see any political party’s hired security personnel at the polling stations.

“We don’t need party security at the polling station. Polling agents are the only ones recognised. After voting, we expect the electorate will leave the polling stations. Don’t come to the polling station and block security officials,” he said.