IGP assures of maximum security for all elections including the upcoming District Level Elections

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has assured that the security agencies will ensure the peace of the country at all times, especially during elections.  He says the security agencies will not compromise on the steps to ensure the peace of the country.

“We will keep ensuring that in every election that is conducted, there is peace, security, law, and order. We will do whatever it takes for the country to continue to be at peace, and we will not compromise on it,” he said while speaking at a meeting held with the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, and the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) in Accra on Tuesday, December 5, ahead of the 19 December District Level Elections.

For her part, Madam Jean Mensa said Ghana is currently experiencing planned attempts to unleash violence before, during, and after elections.

This, she said, is being orchestrated to dent the image of institutions such as the EC, the police, and other security agencies.

She recounted that to capture power, politicians and their supporters use all manner of means, including violence, to achieve that purpose.

To that end, she commended the IGP and the other security agencies for the efforts they put in place to tackle violence. She said, “We are aware of the security threats we face today when elections are coming.

The evidence of threats to our security confronts us daily. Indeed, elections have become the lifeblood of our society; people eat, drink, and breathe elections 24 hours a day. We do witness the dialogue on our radio and TV on a 24-hour basis, but the quest for power today has become so fierce.

“Based on past experiences, it is now clear we cannot take any election for granted. Gone are the days when we could likely make security arrangements for non-competitive elections, such as the upcoming district assembly elections. It is for this reason that we acknowledge IGP and applaud him and his leadership for taking this initiative now.

“Presently, one of the major challenges we face is that, whereas the violence experienced in elections in the early 2000s and early 1990s was born out of genuine causes and disagreement, what we witness today is a predetermined, well-orchestrated strategy to unleash violence before, during, and after the elections for the sole purpose of undermining the credibility and integrity of elections and denting the image of institutions such as the EC, police, and other security agencies.