UK Trains Security Agencies

The United Kingdom (UK) has committed an unspecified amount of money to the training of 16,000 security officers across the country to ensure peaceful polls in December.

The 16,000 personnel were drawn from the Armed Forces, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration, Prisons and Fire Services as well as the Ghana Ambulance Services.

The Minister for Interior, William Kwasi Aboah, at a function held at the Police Headquarters in Accra to launch the training under the theme “The Role of Law Enforcement Agencies in Ensuring Peace and Security During the 2012 General Elections” said government would support security officers to deal severely with miscreants who may decide to mar the electoral process according to the law.

He noted that Ghana has had five successful elections in the past but some persons may want to foment trouble.

The law, according to Mr. Aboah, will deal with such persons irrespective of their political affiliations.

He was particularly grateful to the UK government for the sponsorship, stressing that “political violence in whatever shape or form have left imprint of devastation, fatalities, untold hardships and stagnation of economic development in countries which have experienced it.”

He said government found it gratifying and timely that the British government and other stakeholders had prepared such comprehensive programme to equip and build the capacity of the security agencies throughout the country to deal with unforeseen security challenges before, during and after the December polls.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Paul Tawiah Quaye observed the growing culture of violence, if not checked, would become the turning point of the seemingly peaceful country.

The IGP explained that the law enforcement agencies have an important role to play in the prevention and controlling of acts of hooliganism which could culminate in acts of vandalism.

However while executing their duties they must maintain a balance between the need for electoral security and maintenance of law and good order and non-interference with the rights of voters, he said.

The general elections, according Mr. Quaye, would re-enforce the worldwide recognition accorded Ghana that she is a cradle of democracy in Africa.

He therefore pleaded with Ghanaians to contribute their quota to ensure a peaceful environment for the December polls.

The Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Safo Kantakan, noted that plans were far advanced to allow personnel of the security services to vote before December 7 since their work would demand that they be posted outside their various stations.

He disclosed that with the biometric registration voter transfer of vote is only possible when the EC receives a 42-day notice.

Mr. Kantakan, who lauded the training, noted that most persons depend on the security persons when they face difficulties at the various polling stations even though the presiding officer is the lead person at the station.

The UK High Commissioner to Ghana, Peter Jones said even though the UK has supported Ghana in several sectors like the EC and the Judiciary, nothing is so important than ensuring the Police Service and other security agencies are optimally prepared and equipped to provide the right environment for a free, fair and transparent elections.

“Ghana has earned for itself an enviable reputation as a beacon of democratic best practices. The election in 2012 offers another chance for Ghana to show the rest of the world what it can do.”

The countrywide sensitization and awareness training would begin in Wa, the Upper West Regional capital.