Accra, Dec. 5, GNA - Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of the

Interior, on Friday assured the visiting Economic Community of

West African States (ECOWAS) election observer mission that

government had put in place adequate security measures to ensure

the success of the polls. "I would like to emphasize that government has put in place all the

required measures to ensure that there would be peace and stability

in Ghana and that the elections would be free, fair and transparent,"

he told the 200 members of the mission. Besides the government has also pledged to put the interest of the

country and the general well-being of the citizens and accept the

outcome of the elections and hand over power to whichever party

wins. Dr Addo-Kufuor said as part of the measures a National Security

Elections Task Force comprising the Ghana Police Service, Prison

Service, National Security, BNI, Ghana Armed Forces, including

Defence Intelligence, among others, had been set up to assist the

Electoral Commission to ensure successful elections. He emphasized that the Police Service would play the lead role and would be supported by other security services.

On Election Day, the Minister said, the National Election Security Task Force would coordinate the administrative and operational aspects of general security throughout the 230 constituencies and the 22,000 polling stations in the country.

He explained that each polling station would be manned by selected members of the security services and patrols will be intensified to deal with any unforeseen events.

The Task Force will ensure safe escort of all voting materials to and from polling stations and protect electoral officers, ballot boxes and the voters.

Dr Addo-Kufuor said after the elections the security services would ensure massive patrols throughout the country to promote post-election stability and ensure that peace was maintained in potential trouble spots where violence was likely to erupt.

All electoral facilities and offices will be given heavy security protection before, during and after the declaration of results. On carrying of weapons, Dr Addo-Kufuor said security personnel working closely with the electoral officers and party representatives at the polling stations would not carry weapons while security

personnel within the vicinity of the polling stations would be armed

to deter trouble makers. General Yakubu Gowon, a former Head of State of Nigeria, who

is leading the team, reiterated the need for Ghanaians to embrace

peace during and after the elections.