Police holds meeting on violence free elections

Bolgatanga, April 20, GNA- The Police administration in the Upper East Region at the weekend called on stakeholders in the party political

arena to desist from using vulgar, inflammatory language, heightening of

ethnic and political tensions and personal attacks during the forthcoming elections. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Ofuso-Mensah Gyeabour, in-charge of the Upper East Region made the call in Bolgatanga at a meeting with representatives of the political parties and other stakeholders. Political parties in attendance at the meeting included the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Party(NDC), Democratic Freedom Party(DFP), Convention People's Party(CPP), People's National Convention Party(PNC) and the Media.

The DCOP assured the people that the Police Administration had put in place the necessary preparations in the Region towards the forthcoming Presidential and Parliamentary Elections and urged the leaders of political parties to educate their party members and supporters on the rules and regulations of the electoral process , especially the Public Order Law.

The Regional Police Commander stressed the need for political parties to abide by the Orders Act, of Act 1994, Act 491 which stated that, for any political party to hold any special event in public place, it needed

to inform the police for not less than five hours. He said the Public Order law disallowed two political parties to hold

rallies in the same area within a location less than five miles radius and that all political parties who held rallies would not be allowed to exceed 1800 hours.

He explained that Police Officers providing security coverage to any political rally shall ensure that no person attending such rally carries offensive weapon and noted that persons suspected to be carrying offensive weapons would also be subjected to through search in accordance with the law. DCOP Gyeabour entreated the Media to be more responsible in their reportage by reporting accurately on the electoral process. He cautioned all stakeholders in the forthcoming general elections, including voters to be law abiding to help ensure violence free elections.