Government to ensure free and fair elections

Accra, Feb 28, GNA - Government is committed to the ensuring free and fair election in line with its tradition of respect for rule of law and would not interfere with the duties of the Police and Electoral Commission in this regard, Senior Minister, Mr. Joseph Henry Mensah said on Friday.

" The physical and mental faculties of Police Officers and resources of the service will be tasked to the fullest during the political campaigning and the presidential and parliamentary elections this year."

The Senior Minster was speaking at the annual get together of the Police Service at the National headquarters in Accra.

" I urge all officers of the service to exhibit the highest degree of professionalism before, during and after the general elections. The electioneering campaign period is the most crucial in the process." Mr Mensah noted, " Experience has shown that the police is exposed to a lot of provocation and intimidation during this period, adding that, the police must therefore, be firm and professional enough to withstand such provocation but be fair and impartial in dealing with all situations."

He said government believes in bringing policing to the doorstep of every Ghanaian, hence the recruitment drive to increase the manpower base of the service by 4,000 additional hands by the end of 2005.

He said government would continue to equip the service with logistics in order for them to live up to the task of maintaining law and order for economic and social development.

Mr Mensah said government, with assistance from it development partners are working feverishly to improve upon accommodation for officers of the service.

On the image of the service, he said it has been growing steadily over the past three years but charged the police administration to work hard to check the few officers whose actions turn to bring the image of the service into disrepute.

Nana Stephen Owusu-Nsiah, Inspector General of Police asked all officers to maintain discipline to ensure a peaceful election.

"As a law enforcement organization, we must realise that discipline is a sine qua non for the successful performance of our duties, and I urge all of you not to relegate discipline to the background in any assignment you are required to perform."

Nana Owusu-Nsiah said the general crime level in the country has declined due to the determination of the personnel and the supply of various logistics by the government.

He commended the cooperation between the sister security services which has help improve the security situation in the country. Among dignitaries present were, Minister of the Interior, Mr Hackman Owusu Agyeman, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence, Deputy Minister of Interior, Mr Thomas Broni and Chief of Defence Staff Ghana Armed Forces, Major General Seth Obeng.

The others include, Ms Elizabeth Adjei, Director, Ghana Immigration Service, Mr. Patrick Acheampong, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Operations and Mrs. Elizabeth Mills-Robertson, Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Administration.