A 13-member security task force has been sworn into office in Obuasi.The task force which was ushered into office on Thursday,18th February, 2016 with an immediate mandate to ensure a peaceful Presidential and Parliamentary elections in November, 2016.
In the presence of committee members,members of the security services and the media,the Municipal Police Commander who is also the Chairman of the committee, DSP Matthew Asante said there has been the need to form a municipal election security taskforce following the inauguration of the National Security Task force in Accra by the Minister of Interior , Mr Mark Woyongo a few weeks back.
DSP Asante further stated that for the committee to work effectively and effectively, it has been divided into three (3) sub-committees, that is,the Transport and Logistics sub-committee which will be in charge of commandeering vehicles for the electoral assignments and distribution of electoral materials. The Deployment and security sub-committee has a responsibility for security deployment, rapid response to situations and the upkeep of all electoral materials whilst the media sub-committee has a duty to monitor all media stations and engage party's communication teams and general communication management.
The Municipal Police Commander reiterated the fact the comittee is non partisan and hence totally independent.
The Divisional Crime Officer, Superintendent Francis Antwi Boasiako who spoke on behalf of the Divisional Commander also said that,the role of the Municipal Election Security Task force which is primarily to ensure a peaceful election in November cannot be accomplished without the total support and co-operation from the electorates before,during and after the elections.
He tasked the general public to supply information on potential security threats to the committee to enable the committee swiftly work on it.
The members of the committee were drawn from;
The Ghana Police Service
The Immigration Service
The Prisons Service
The Fire Service
The Bureau of National Investigations(B,NI.)
The Obuasi Municipal Assembly
The National Commission for Civic Education
The Information Services Department(Secretary)
