The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) will deploy about 5,000 personnel throughout the country as part of the election security taskforce instituted to deal with troublemakers and to ensure peace and security at the December 7 polls. The Director of the Public Relations Directorate of the GAF, Col. Mbawine Atintande, who disclosed this at a press soiree organised by Public Relations Officers of Security Services in Ghana, indicated that the security agencies would leave no stone unturned to deal with people who would foment trouble during the general elections. As part of the taskforce, the Ghana Prisons Service would also be providing about 2,000 personnel for election duties, Public Relations Officer of Prisons, Vitalis Ayeh disclosed.
Security personnel, Col. Mbawine indicated, would be deployed throughout the country three days ahead of the elections, adding, “If everybody does their work well, there would be no problems on election day. The election security taskforce will do their bid and we expect all Ghanaians to also do their bid.”
According to him, all logistics had been provided for the security personnel to carry out their duties without any hiccups.
Members of the election security taskforce are drawn from the GAF, Prisons, Fire Service, Immigration Service and the Ghana Police Service.
Reacting to questions by DAILY GUIDE about rumours of some political parties collaborating with sections of security officers to snatch and swap ballot boxes on the day of elections, Col. Atintande said they were unfounded, indicating that the security agencies would not connive with any political party to steal the mandate of the people.
He added that it was the duty of all Ghanaians, particularly the media, to collaborate with the security agencies to ensure there was free, fair and violent free election since it was a shared responsibility to keep the peace in the country.
Full Article: 5,000 Soldiers For Elections | Daily Guide Newspaper.
