Police will not be biased during Election 2020 – IGP
The Ghana Police Service will deal severely with people who try to disrupt the election, James Oppong-Boanuh warns
The Inspector General of Police says the Ghana Police Service will be impartial during the general election in December.
James Oppong-Boanuh said the police will do their best to ensure that there is orderliness before, during and after voting.
The IGP made this commitment at a meeting with representatives of the political parties at Police Headquarters in Accra.
He said that lawless actions such as snatching ballot boxes, intimidating voters, attacking members of the public or electoral officials and destroying voting materials will not be tolerated.
Dealing with “troublemakers”
“The stakes are always very high when it comes to elections because everybody wants to win,” Oppong-Boanuh said. But the IGP warned that anyone who tries to foment trouble during the election will be made to face the law.
The police “will be ready to deal with whoever perpetrates any of these actions”, he said. “We will arrest whoever engages in any of these actions.”
The 2020 polls seem certain to be tense. A January 2019 by-election in Ayawaso West Wuogon in the Greater Accra Region turned chaotic, following a clash between supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress and National Security forces.
Police also had to intervene to restore calm in certain constituencies during parliamentary primaries for the New Patriotic Party last Saturday (20 June).
Call for consensus
The IGP called on the political representatives to ensure that they keep their party supporters in check.
Though the police will be on hand to ensure the elections are peaceful, he also urged the various parties not to instigate their supporters to do anything untoward.
“Crime has no colours and [neither does] security,” Oppong-Boanuh further said.
The 2020 general election is scheduled to take place, as constitutionally mandated, on 7 December, a Monday. The compilation of the new voters’ register will begin on 30 June.
E A Alanore
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