Election 2020: IGP warns against impersonation

James Oppong-Boanuh, the Inspector General of Police on Thursday cautioned the public against any impersonation of security operatives ahead of the elections, stressing that security at the polling stations is the responsibility of assigned security personnel.

“If you are not a member or personnel of security services assigned at the polling stations, you have no business of putting on any type of uniform, if anybody is caught, we will deal with that person according to law,” the IGP stated.

The IGP was speaking during a national security agencies Election 2020 route march on some principal streets of Accra to preach peace ahead of the December polls.

The exercise christened: “Tafia Lafia”, which means peace walk in Hausa, a popular language in Ghana, is a nationwide initiative which took place in all the country’s regional capitals simultaneously.

It brought together the security services, the National Ambulance Service and the National Commission for Civic Education.

Mr Oppong-Boanuh assured the country of the preparedness of the security agents to be professional in the discharge of their duties, saying; “We are going to protect peace-loving people and not criminals, and work with discipline, and dedication for a successful election”.

He said the security services have been trained to be impartial and not take sides before, during and after the elections and ensure that anybody who tried to foment trouble at the polling stations, would be dealt with.

“While we protect the ballot, we are also going to ensure that normal peace and security operations will still go on. Arrangements have been made for all those performing special duties on that day to vote, nobody will be disenfranchised,” he said.

He said the security personnel to be deployed at the polling stations would be provided with rules governing the conduct of the elections for reference, urging them to consult their Commanders when they have difficulties in the line of duty.

He urged the personnel to remain steadfast and think about the interest of the nation first, adding that, “Ghana is the only country that we have, let us ensure that we are disciplined so that the citizens that we are protecting will have confidence in us”.

Lieutenant General Obed Akwa, Chief of Defence Staff said the exercise was to demonstrate to Ghanaians that the security services would create the needed serene atmosphere of peace and tranquillity ahead of the elections.

He said the security would not tolerate any vigilantism at the various polling stations since it had been banned in the country.

The special voting exercise will take place on December 1, while the national elections will be on December 7.