Preparing for December 7: Police personnel deployed to protect journalists in V/R

The Volta Regional Police Command has deployed officers to the various media houses in the region to protect journalists in the build up to the 2024 general election.

The move is to ensure the safety of journalists during the exercise and enable them to carry out their duties smoothly.

The Regional Police Commander, DCOP Andrews Boadu-Ekumah, announced this at a media encounter at the regional police headquarters in Ho last Monday (November 25).

“The media play a very important role in the success of the elections and we do not have to wait for things to get terrible for them before going to their aid,” the Deputy Commissioner of Police added.

No fears

Shedding light on the safety of journalists, DCOP Boadu-Ekumah said, they would be contacted on their cellular phones regularly on the day of the elections to track their locations, while patrol teams would be ready to respond to their distress calls.

He gave an assurance that every distress call from a journalist would be responded to swiftly by the patrol teams.

He also urged voters to go to their polling stations without fear to exercise their franchise, and reiterated that adequate security measures were in place to ensure everyone’s safety at the polling stations.

Total peace

Although he did not state figures, the regional police commander said the command had completed its deployment of personnel to the media houses.

“This is because we are committed to total peace during the elections,” he explained.

DCOP Boadu-Ekumah cautioned the media to be very objective with their reportage on the elections, saying any misinformation, disinformation or fake news on the elections could spell chaos for the nation.

“So, cross-check your facts before bringing your reports to the public domain,” he told the journalists.

The regional police commander cautioned that any unruly character who turned up at a polling station carrying an offensive weapon or attempted to disrupt the peace would suffer swift and ruthless consequences.