The Ahafo Regional Police Command has vowed to restrict parliamentary candidates in the region from carrying more than three persons to accompany them to visit polling stations during the December 7, 2020 elections.

The command said only candidates with an aid and driver would be permitted to visit polling centres during the voting process, explaining that candidates with more than the number would be prevented from visiting the polling stations.

That, according to the command, would help promote a violence-free exercise and ensure a free and fair elections as the command had declared each polling station in the area a flash point.

The Kenyase District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Paul A. Ankan, announced this at the Ahafo Regional Peace Council stakeholders sensitisation workshop on the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999), which outlaws vigilantism and other related offences.

“We don’t want to see macho men accompanying candidates to the polling centres, elections are not a macho work. It is about voting for one person to represent you, so we will not allow them to carry many people to the polling centres”, he stated.

Vigilantism Act

The workshop which was organised by the National Peace Council (NPC) at Goaso was aimed at educating various stakeholders about Act 999 and the NPC’s roadmap for the eradication of political vigilantism.

It was also meant to draw the attention of the participants to provisions of the code of conduct on political parties in an attempt to promote violence-free elections.

It brought together stakeholders such as the leadership of the various political parties, security services, youth groups, some religious leaders and civil society organisations.

At the event,representatives of the two biggest political parties - the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) pledged their support and commitment to maintain peace before, during and after the December 7, 2020 polls.

They also expressed their commitment to work closely and support the security services with information that could lead to the arrest of troublemakers when the need arose.

The parties have also agreed with the command to ban the use of motorbikes on election day near polling stations.

Readiness

Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the workshop, Mr Ankan said the police in the region were ready for the December elections even if it was to be held today.

"We are ready for the December polls, even if the Electoral Commission (EC) decides to hold the election today. The police administration is ready to ensure peace across the polling centres", he stated.

Mr Ankan explained that the Ahafo Regional Police Command had declared all polling centres as flash point and had prepared enough to ensure that this year’s election was conducted in a peaceful manner.

A member of the Ahafo Regional Peace Council, Mr Bio-Agyemang Benjamin, explained that elections in Ghana were mostly characterised by localised violence perpetrated by political party thugs, popularly known as party foot soldiers or vigilantes.

For his part, the acting Ahafo Regional Executive Secretary of the NPC, Mr Kennedy Atiibo, said the Peace Council was committed to educating the public about the need to avoid political vigilantism and called on the public to partner with the council to halt acts of violence associated with elections.

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