Stay clear from causing trouble on Election Day. IGP warns
With two-and-a-half months to the general election, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr John Kudalor, has reiterated the commitment of the Police Administration to sustain the peace and stability of the country before, during and after the elections.
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Interacting with the media in Accra yesterday during a tour of the Accra Regional Police Command, he expressed confidence that the police were prepared to safeguard the peace and security of the nation.
He said the Police Administration was prepared to deal with any contingencies that might arise before, during and after the December 7 elections.
According to him, the Ghana Police Service was fully aware that the success of the elections was dependent on security and safety at the polls and that measures had been put in place to protect the ballot.
No fears
In a bid to allay the fears of war mongers, he said: “The peace of the nation will be intact. We will go to the polls and come out in one piece but not in pieces.”
He warned persons who would foment trouble before, during or after the polls that the police would deal with them without fear or favour.
“As a security institution, we are prepared for worst scenarios. We have instituted proactive measures to ensure violence-free elections,” he said.
Depending on the situation, Mr Kudalor said, the Police Administration would fall on personnel from other security agencies such as the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Prisons Service to beef up security during the election period.
He said the administration had received the names and the number of personnel that would be released by the other security agencies.
Additionally, he said, the administration had requested for some logistical support from the government and was sure the request would be granted soon to help the police carry out their duties and build confidence in the public.
Regional tours
The IGP has been touring the various regional commands to assess the readiness of officers and men in the run-up to the December elections.
In each region, Mr Kudalor and his entourage, made up of leading members of the Police Management Board, interacted with traditional leaders, the youth and other stakeholders.
A simulation exercise by the police to test their combat readiness. Picture: Emelia Ennin Abbey
Simulation
In the Greater Accra Region, where the IGP ended his tour, he inspected the command’s logistics and personnel, after which he held a closed-door durbar with the personnel to discuss some welfare issues bothering them.
The command took advantage of the visit to display logistics at its disposal, including ammunition, vehicles, motorbikes and a drone which will be used to monitor the elections.
Additionally, the command conducted a simulation exercise to test its readiness for the elections.
During the simulation, the personnel staged a riot control scenario in which some angry demonstrators clashed with the police.
While the angry protestors, who carried placards, sticks and other implements, threw bottles, amid the chanting of war songs, the riot control police personnel, wearing helmets and body armour and holding shields and batons, attempted to disperse the protestors.
To disperse the crowd, the security personnel moved quickly in a coordinated line towards the gathering and later used “containment” tactics to cordon off the protestors, after which the protesters were either directed towards one exit or prevented from leaving the area.