Don’t deploy military to polling stations — ACP Agordzo

The Coordinator of the 2016 National Security Election Task Force, Assistant Commissioner of Police (retd) Dr Benjamin Kwasi Agordzo, has called on the government and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to refrain from deploying the military to polling stations, saying the police are capable of managing security at those locations. 

“Under no circumstances should soldiers be deployed to polling stations. Techiman South is too fresh on our minds and don’t forget that citizens are very much aware, empowered and more poised this time around and may  stand up to their threats and it may not be good news for us,” he said.

Describing the 2016 elections as one of the most peaceful ones under the Fourth Republic, he explained that in that election, the police handled issues at the polling stations peacefully without the intervention of the army.

He added that even when the National Police Task Force decided to police the country’s borders, the force trained special police officers with various teams and further deployed them with United Nation (UN) branded jackets and helmets. 

“I am emphasising this to say that we can do this election peacefully without deploying any military officer,” he said. 

Campaign

Dr Agordzo was speaking at a peace campaign at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) on Wednesday.

The law students

Dubbed, “Peace through democracy”, the initiative was launched by the GIMPA Law Students Association and GIMPA Law School.

It was supported by the Trustees Limited and the National Lottery Authority’s Good causes foundation.

The campaign forms part of efforts to get all stakeholders to commit to promoting peace, unity and constitutional responsibility towards the 2024 elections. 

SWAT

He further called for the exclusion of the National Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team from the 2024 general election, describing the unit as illegal.

“According to the Constitution, apart from the Ghana Police Service, no other police service should be created unless by an Act of Parliament,” he stated.

“Where from the National SWAT? Who created it, and under what Act of Parliament?” he asked, citing the role of the SWAT team in the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, which was marred by violence.

Deploying them to election polling stations, he said, could pose risks to peace and credibility, adding that, “The orientation and training of the National SWAT team are skewed towards serving a particular regime,” he said.

He further underscored the need to bring on board the media, Civil Society Organisations and Think Tanks to join the National Election Security Task Force for diverse perspectives. 

EC

A Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Bossman Asare, said  the commission believed that peace was central to the development and growth of the country.

“In the light of this the Electoral Commission of Ghana has also pledged that everything that is necessary, everything that is proper to be done to ensure a peaceful process, we are going to do it because all of us have one country” he said.

He also said that to deepen the integrity of the elections and to promote peace, the Electoral Commission had been taking every step critical to the elections with the political parties.

“Everything we do; we do with the political parties. So even at times when the parties will criticise, when we open up and the people begin to see, then they now begin to question the parties,” he said.“We like our country. So the electoral commission will do everything proper to ensure very peaceful elections,” he said.

Dean

A lecturer of the GIMPA Law Faculty, Mr Desmond Israel, during his speech said that Ghana's democratic journey, anchored by the 1992 Constitution, had been a beacon of hope and progress to the Africa continent.

“Everybody really looks up to us. On December 7, 2024, Ghanaians will once again exercise their fundamental right to vote under Article 42” he said.

He reiterated that elections being a fundamental human right of eligible Ghanaians, were not merely about casting ballots but about upholding peace, fairness and justice. “The core values that sustain our democratic fabric” he said.

Mr Israel further urged the GIMPA Law Students Association to extend their role, which encompassed shaping a society rooted in law, order and mutual respect.

Purpose 

The General Secretary of the GIMPA Law Students Association, Celestine Addo, explained that the purpose of the campaign was to ignite a collective pledge to uphold the values of democracy and to foster a culture of non-violence, respect and fairness throughout this election season.

“Through the voices of tomorrow's legal custodians and today’s thought leaders, we aim to inspire every Ghanaian to embrace the beauty of our democratic legacy.

“This project is not just an initiative; it is a pledge, a promise and a call to action,” she added.