National Elections Taskforce to be inaugurated soon – IGP

A National Elections Taskforce would soon be set up to facilitate a conducive security space for free, fair and credible elections in the December general polls, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Paul Quaye has assured Ghanaians.

He said the taskforce will draw its membership from the Ghana Police Service, Armed Forces, National Security Coordinating Council, Bureau of National Investigation, Electoral Commission, Immigration Service, Customs Excise Preventive Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Prisons Service and the Research Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture with the Police playing a leading role.

Mr. Quaye was addressing personnel of the Ghana Police Service at a durbar organised in his honour by the Upper West Regional Police Command in Wa, as part of his two-day maiden working visit to the region.

He said the task-force would also be formed at the regional, divisional and district levels throughout the country to help plan, organise, implement, monitor and coordinate the operations of the security agencies to create a safe environment for the elections to take place.

Mr. Quaye said one of the fundamental and critical issues in the success and credibility of any electoral process was election security, which should not be taken for granted.

“No electoral management body could conduct a successful election if the security environment was unstable”, he explained.

The Inspector General of Police pointed out that the Police Service was at cross roads of major paradigm policy shifts and it was natural that they dealt with challenges as they emerge.

“Changes in structures and the realignment of some units are necessary to implement our new policy initiative with the desired effectiveness”, Mr. Quaye said.**