INTENSIFY EDUCATION OF ELECTORATE (PAGE 32)

THE Director-General of Operations at the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Patrick Timbillah, has called for the intensification of education of the electorate on the electoral laws to enable them to know their responsibilities during the polls.
“Are people aware for instance that they have to leave the polling stations immediately after voting?” he asked.
DCOP Timbillah was addressing security personnel in the northern sector at the launch of; “Exercise Peace Angel” to harmonise their operations to ensure maximum security during and after the December polls in Tamale.
The exercise would also serve as a platform to brainstorm on how best to anticipate incidents during and after the elections, taking into consideration flashpoints that had been identified in the area.
Mr Timbillah further called on the personnel of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) and the Ghana Immigration Service to be vigilant and beef up security at the country’s borders as a way of contributing to the conduct of peaceful elections.
“You must know the electoral laws yourselves and be firm, fair, neutral and resolute in the performance of your duties” the Director-General advised.
He urged the media and political party activists not to engage in acts that would inflame passions during and after the elections.
According to him, the inauguration of the national, regional and district electoral security task forces were among measures being put in place to ensure peaceful elections.
He stated that 1,399 flashpoints had been identified in the country and stressed that the security services would leave no stone unturned to nip in the bud any political violence that might occur in any part of the country.
“This election is a real test case for our democracy and the whole world is watching us; although the elections would be tough we are also going to be tough to ensure successful elections” DCOP Timbillah promised.
The General Officer Commanding the Northern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, Brigadier General J.N. Adinkra stressed the need for the electorate to know the difference between criminality and politics.
The Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Ofosu-Mensah Gyeabour, assured the electorate that the police would remain impartial, resolute, fair and neutral in the performance of its duties,
“I also want to assure the public that we the regional electoral security taskforce have put in place effective measures to ensure peaceful elections” he said.
The Deputy Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Bruce Ayisi, told security personnel to be punctual when assigned to their respective duties as a way of ensuring smooth take off of the elections.
He further cautioned the security personnel against interfering in the voting processes.