Ghana to deploy over 62,000 security personnel during December presidential election

Ghana’s Police Inspector-General James Oppong-Boanuh said on Wednesday that 62,794 security personnel will be deployed to secure the presidential election in December.

The personnel will be drawn from the police service, military, fire service, prison service, immigration service, customs service, and the Bureau of National Investigations, he said.

The National Election Security Task Force (NESTIF) is working in consultation with the Electoral Commission and political parties to deploy the personnel, Mr Oppong-Boanuh said.

The agencies forming the NESTIF “are equipped and ready to do the job, and I am satisfied that we are ready,” said the inspector-general, who heads the task force.

Mr Oppong-Boanuh warned that the task force would not spare anyone who foments trouble during the election process.

There will be 33,367 polling centres and 275 collation centres at play when Ghanaians go to the polls in December to elect a president and 275 members of parliament.

The task force would deploy armed personnel at these centres and place patrol, rapid response, and standby forces at vantage points to provide swift action when needed, Mr Oppong-Boanuh said.

“We have identified 6,178 hot spots across the country, and we will have… patrols and standby forces in these areas to prevent any mishap,” he said.

Ghana experienced violence during voter registration in June-August, when supporters of political parties clashed at the registration centres across the country.

(Xinhua/NAN)