Police-public collaboration needed to ensure peaceful elections – Official
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Francis I. Zangina, Asutifi South District Police Commander has appealed to the public to collaborate with the Police to ensure a free and fair election on December 7th.
He said the Police had acquired much experience from previous elections conducted as well as identified some causes of electoral violence at polling centres.
DSP Zangina made the call at an educational forum organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Ghana on Friday to educate the public on the need to ensure peaceful election this year.
It was on the theme: “Promoting Citizenship Education to Enhance Election Peace, Transparency and Credibility in Ghana”.
DSP Zangina urged the public to report conducts and actions of people whom they suspected might create tension to breach the prevailing peace before, during and after Election 2012.
He noted that the Police conducted investigations on reported cases and tip offs from informants, but did not rely on rumours and encouraged the public to come out voluntarily with information that would enable them to perform in the interest of the nation.
DSP Zangina said all the necessary mechanisms and measures had been instituted by the Police Administration to ensure that the citizenry exercised their franchise without fear or intimidation from any group or persons.
He said the Police was neutral and ever ready to provide equal security assistant to all political parties during their campaigns and rallies.
DSP Zangina warned that any person, political activists or supporters, who tried to misbehave or violate the electoral laws, would be arrested and prosecuted.
Mr Batong Braimah, Asutifi South District Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), urged the public to have confidence in the EC.
He said the biometric voters register now in place would not affect voting but help to control and check all electoral malpractices.
Mr Braimah urged the public to visit the polling stations to cast their votes on time and return home safely for peace and tranquility to prevail.
Mr Jimaken Attah John, Asutifi South District Director of NCCE, urged the public to understand that election was a democratic system through which the citizenry exercised their right. This he said reinforced the principle that governance power was derived from the sovereign will of the people.
He urged the public to develop and promote political tolerance since all Ghanaians could not belong to the same political party and pleaded with the public to avoid political insults and fabrication of lies against personalities with the aim of sustaining or gaining power.
Ms Ellen Owusu-Adjei, CDD Representative, observed that in spite of the success in the country’s previous elections some weaknesses and flaws were exposed.
She stressed the need to reform key democratic governance institutions, administrative arrangements and to improve citizens’ understanding and appreciation of peaceful democratic elections.
Source: GNA