SECURITY AGENCIES GEAR UP FOR DECEMBER 7 POLLS (PAGE 32)

Senior Officers of the various security agencies in the Brong Ahafo Region, have met in Sunyani, to brainstorm on viable and effective solutions to any form of lawlessness that might occur during and after the upcoming December 7 general election.
The programme dubbed, “Exercise Peace Angel,” was also aimed at shaping the skills and equipping the security personnel ahead of the presidential and parliamentary polls.
The forum was attended by the officers from the military, police, fire, prisons, Customs, Excise and Preventive services, the Bureau of National Investigations, and other members of the Regional Election Security Task Force.
It was also attended by a three-member team of the Electoral Commission (EC), led by Nana Amba Eyiaba 1, who is in-charge of the Brong Ahafo Region.
Speaking at the function, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr. Seth Charles Oteng declared, “We are still in the pre-election period which mainly covers preparations of the security services in ensuring a violence-free elections”.
He pointed out that, even though the security services had helped to ensure successful elections since 1992, the Election Security Task Force was leaving nothing to chance, and that the forum involved personnel who would be directly tasked to quell any disturbance during and after the voting.
DCOP Oteng, who is also the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Commander and the Chairman of the Election Task Force said, it was incumbent on the security personnel to share ideas since no one could boast of being a repository of knowledge, adding, “we need to share the bits we have so that together we can find responsible solutions”.
Nana Eyiaba, who took the personnel through the “dos and donts,” pointed out that, security officers detailed to polling stations ought to note that, the candidates, political parties and sympathisers had the right to equal security with respect to their lives and properties.
She said on the election day, security officers were to provide security cover for the movement of election officials and materials and stressed that, a security person was required to maintain order at a polling station and work under the directives of the Presiding Officer whom she described as the Chief Executive at the station.
The Commission Member, reminded the personnel to ensure that all election materials were safe and secure and the queue of voters orderly.
He asked that all the necessary measures be taken to prevent violence or any activity that threatened the safe conduct of the election, while the lawful instructions of the Presiding Officer, Returning Officer or a senior officer of the EC in relation to arrests of persons who violated the law had to be carried out.
Two other officials of the EC, Mr Samuel Ntow, in-charge of Research and Monitoring at the EC headquarters and Mr James Arthur- Yeboah, the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the Commission, also addressed issues raised at the meeting.
Lt. Col Michael Ayisi Amoah, the Commanding Officer of the Third Battalion of Infantry (3BN), said it was a task and challenge to the officers to ensure that the elections became success, credible, transparent and violence-free.