The Head of the National Election Task Force, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, has assured the Electoral Commission (EC) that they are ready to protect the commission to enable them discharge their duties effectively come December 7.
According to Dr Dampare, who doubles as Inspector General of Police (IGP), the security agencies were committed to ensuring the safety of all staff of the EC before, during and after the elections.
Mrs Jean Mensa (middle) with Dr George Akuffo Dampare (fourth from right) and other security and EC officials Photo: Victor A. Buxton
He was speaking at the National Election Task Force Meeting with the EC in Accra yesterday to discuss preparations towards a peaceful election.
The IGP, however, noted that all the security agencies have been with the EC from the inception of the election process and would ensure that all the needed security aspects of the elections were provided.
Dr Dampare expressed optimism that considering the way and manner the EC had conducted itself throughout the process, there was going to be a “peaceful and credible elections.”
“We will protect every Ghanaian, and we will protect every stakeholder in this election, as they go about their constitutional duty and ensure that the elections is executed to the benefit of all Ghanaians,” he said.
The IGP also highlighted the progress made in the electoral process, including the printing and transportation of ballots and the deployment of logistics needed to ensure a smooth electoral process.
“Looking at the timetable that we are working with, we are sure that within the shortest possible time we will be done with all the necessary preparations and all logistics will be in place to ensure a smooth process,” he said.
Dr Dampare highlighted the crucial role of the task force’s collaboration in significantly reducing violence and disruptions across the country.
For her part the chairperson of the EC, Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa, assured that the EC was committed to ensuring “peaceful, transparent, and credible elections” come December 7.
“We have successfully conducted voter registration, adding over 900,000 new voters to the register and exhibited the voters’ register in over 40,000 polling centres across the country,” she said.
Mrs Mensa noted that the commission had disseminated voters’ registers to polling stations across the country to ensure a successful electoral process.
She said that the commission had also recruited and trained over 210,000 temporary officials to assist with the electoral process in ensuring a smooth election.
Mrs Mensa highlighted that special voting was scheduled to take place on December 2, for members of the security agencies, media, and electoral officials who applied for special voting.
“I believe that you are aware that the special voting is restricted to members of the security, members of the media, and some of the EC’s own electoral officials who applied for special voting,” she said.
BY AGNES OWUSU
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