Macho men can't police ballot boxes – Kofi Boakye

The New Patriotic Party(NPP) Northern Regional Chairman, Bugri Naabu’s claims to engage services of “macho men” to every single polling station to police ballot boxes on voting day has come under scrutiny this week, with the Police warning to resist such attempts by political parties in the December polls.

COP Kofi Boakye’s reaction comes in the wake of the NPP’s Northern regional chairman, Daniel Bugri Naabu claims that the NPP would protect the sanctity of the election through its deployment of 40 well-built men at polling stations to police ballot boxes.

This according to him will ensure that the party is not disadvantaged by the “naked thievery” that characterised the 2008 and 2012 elections respectively.

But the Ashanti Regional Police commander COP Kofi Boakye says he won’t allow parties to undermine the democratic dispensation of the country.

“That is unthinkable;It can never happen. There hasn’t been change in the Police. It is the same Police from revolution up till this time. So let not the people think the Police is changed. We’re the same Police. The fact that election is coming doesn’t mean any tom, dick and harry can arrogate to himself the power of the state. The power that the constitution has granted the Police is non-negotiable” COP Kofi Boakye cautioned.

COP Kofi Boakye also advised the media to be careful with their reportage ahead of the elections since false reportage could plunge the country into chaos.

He made the comments in an address at the commissioning of the Ashanti Regional Police Transit Residential Accommodation at Oforikrom Police barracks.