NDC raises another security concern despite commending IGP on December 7 plans

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised suspicions that some hoodlums could find their way into the security personnel to be deployed on elections day, Monday, December 7.

According to the party, it is picking up information that some persons other than genuine officers will be clothed in the approved uniforms announced by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to intimidate voters in the party’s strongholds.

“This normal dressing requirement for all service personnel should be strictly enforced to assuage fears that some Police uniforms being sewn will find its way into the hands of vigilantes/hoodlums recruited by the ruling Party/government to intimidate and suppress voters in opposition strongholds,” the party demanded in a statement on Monday, November 23.

“Indeed, the NDC takes seriously information making the rounds that persons other than genuine Police officers some of whom were described as National Security operatives who committed acts of brigandage during the Ayawaso West Wogon bi-election last year will be clothed in such Police uniforms to avoid detection.”

The largest opposition party, in commending the Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong Boanuh, and his staff for the plans drawn by the National Election Security Task Force to sanitize the security situation, is demanding that a register of all officers is kept while their name tags embossed on the approved uniforms.

This has, however, been promised the the Ghana Police Service.

“We therefore urge the Inspector General of Police to take serious note of our legitimate concerns and act upon them in the interest of public safety and a peaceful election,” the statement issued by NDC’s Director of Operations Lt Col. (Rtd) Larry Gbevlo-Lartey concluded.

Find the full statement below:

PRESS STATEMENT ON SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS FOR DECEMBER 7TH POLLS.

The attention of the NDC has been drawn to a circular issued by the Inspector General of Police to the effect that only traditional Police uniforms would be worn on Election 2020 duties and related operations. According to the circular, traditional uniforms for this purpose will be “blue-black/black and camouflage uniforms”.

The NDC believes that these measures derive from the lessons learnt from the embarrassment the Ghana Police Service suffered during the Ayawaso West Wuogon bye election disgrace. We therefore commend the IGP and his staff on plans drawn by the National Election Security Task Force to sanitize the security situation, maintain law and order on December 7 election day and ensure peace. However, the NDC is of the view that the announcement on the authorized uniform to be worn on D-Day will be inadequate without ensuring that all Police personnel and others drawn from other security agencies are properly identified with their names clearly displayed on their uniforms.

This normal dressing requirement for all service personnel should be strictly enforced to assuage fears that some Police uniforms being sewn will find its way into the hands of vigilantes/hoodlums recruited by the ruling Party/government to intimidate and surpress voters in opposition strongholds. Indeed, the NDC takes seriously information making the rounds that persons other than genuine Police officers some of whom were described as National Security operatives who committed acts of brigandage during the Ayawaso West Wogon bi-election last year will be clothed in such Police uniforms to avoid detection.

It is our contention that the wearing of name tag identification is the surest way to safeguard the integrity and image of the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies that will be deployed for election day security activities.

It is noteworthy that at a recent meeting of the Ministry of National Security and a delegation of the NDC, the latter made this same point because we are genuinely concerned about the likelihood of vigilante elements being paraded in Police uniforms to perpetrate acts of intimidation and brutality.

At the same meeting, the NDC delegation also recommended that the Police administration should, for the sake of accountability and ease of reference, keep a register of all personnel who would be deployed at various locations on December 7th and make such a list available in case of any eventuality.

Such additional measures as the NDC has recommended will serve to reassure the citizenry of a free and fair election.

We therefore urge the Inspector General of Police to take serious note of our legitimate concerns and act upon them in the interest of public safety and a peaceful election.

Signed

Lt. Col. (Rtd) Larry Gbevlo-Lartey

Director of Operations

NDC 2020 Campaign