Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), revealed that intelligence collected by the Ghana Police Service points to the existence of organizations that want to use violence and intimidation to sabotage the December elections. People in this macho culture believe that a person's power is determined by their biceps. Thankfully, as you can see, I believe the most of them have taken advice and found something to do as a result of what we've done for these elections going forward," Dr. Dampare stated.
"However, we will not be overly complacent and assume that this is the end of the game because our intelligence base indicates that there are pockets of them around who want to escalate things to a level that we will not tolerate," he added. The Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Immigration Service, and other important stakeholders were present for a security engagement with political parties in Accra, where the IGP was addressing. In addition, Dr. Dampare cautioned against the deployment of unapproved security gear and people dressed in state security agency-like clothing, saying the police will take decisive action to keep the peace.
"In this crucial time, it is unacceptable for people to want to wear clothes that make them feel half military, half police, or half anything like security. In order to prevent our actions from being interpreted as biased, we want you to be aware of our stance," he stated. Dr. Dampare emphasized the significance of peaceful elections, thanked political parties for their collaboration, and called for further efforts to guarantee a seamless process.
"To the glory of God and for the good of this nation, particularly for the next generation, we beg you to complete and finish exceptionally well. In the same vein, we are dedicated to demonstrating our patriotism by making sure this election is peaceful and to everyone's pleasure," he said. In order to promote cooperation with political players, reduce misinformation, and establish confidence, the IGP emphasized the Police's approach of openness and regular interaction. In order to promote prompt dispute settlement and prevent needless escalation, he also emphasized open communication, saying that contact information for police leadership at all levels had been disseminated.
The Police Service's dedication to professionalism, equity, and firmness in its operations was reaffirmed by Dr. Dampare. He stressed that everyone has responsibility for ensuring a peaceful election and urged political parties to spread the word of harmony and collaboration to their supporters. Let's continue to uphold this nonviolent and orderly attitude till the very end. He asserted, "We can work together to make this election a proud chapter in our democratic history." At the engagement, political groups such as the Convention People's Party (CPP), All People's Congress (APC), National Democratic Congress (NDC), and New Patriotic Party (NPP) vowed to support the rule of law and work with the police during the election process.