National Security officials are not deployed to polling stations – IGP

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) has stated that National Security Officers are not part of the security officers deployed to the various polling stations ahead of the December 7 elections.

Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo Morning Show on Thursday, James Oppong-Boanuh, the IGP, stated emphatically, "Security at the polling stations are not the responsibility of the national security, it is the [responsibility of the] police and other uniformed security agencies.”

The IGP added that the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) will be working behind the scenes on election day to combat terrorism and they will not be directly involved in the elections.

“So, when you see someone at the polling station and he tells you that he is from the National Security, ask him what type of work he is there to do. If he doesn’t vote at the polling station, then he has no right to be there,” the IGP explained.

Oppong-Boanuh revealed that those who identify themselves as operatives from the National Security, most of the time have no ID card.

“If you look at the recognised staff of the National Security, they are few so if someone parades himself as a National Security operative, demand to see his ID card…if anybody comes to the polling station and he is not there to vote and parades himself as an operative from the National Security, National Security officials are not deployed for this particular elections,” he stressed.

With just four days to the December 7 elections, security is one of the major concerns of the electorate, including the security of the voting materials before and after the elections.

A total of 62,794 security personnel are being deployed to the 275 constituencies to ensure that there is law and order at the over 38, 000 polling stations.