Mr Peter Nanfuri, Inspector General of Police (IGP), on Friday assured the public that the police are ready to ensure that the December 7 election will not degenerate into lawlessness and disorder.

"Our major preoccupation is to rigidly enforce law and maintain public order between now and election day, and of course, the days immediately after the election," he said.

Mr Nanfuri was opening the first in a series of educational seminars organised by the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) for the police in Accra. The theme of the seminar is: "Making Democracy Flourish, Through Effective Policing." He said the police have set up a national oversight committee to co-ordinate activities of the regional security task forces.

"We are firmly on the ground and are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all persons who pursue their political goals and aspirations within the framework of the law do not suffer any undue hindrance from political opponents," the IGP said.

Mr Nanfuri reminded police officers not to get involved in political conflicts. They should maintain their absolute neutrality; enforce the law firmly and fairly without any fear or favour.

He said officers who want to get involved in politics should resign their appointments first. " It will be highly unprofessional for any policeman or woman to mix up professional police work with politicking," he said.

Mr Laary Bimi, Chairman of NCCE, said this year's elections are crucial. For the first time since independence Ghanaians are participating in elections where the President has completed his full term of office.

Mr Bimi urged all stakeholders to work hard so that after the election everybody will accept the results in good faith. Mr Johnson Ganyo, Deputy Superintendent of Police at the CID Headquarters, appealed to FM stations not to allow contributors to in phone-in programmes to make abusive and provocative contributions.

"We are all enjoying the prevailing peace and would not want anybody to sow seeds of disorder and disaffection through these programmes," he said.