Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Aburibah Yaagy, the Western Regional Police Commander has expressed the need for a team work in promoting public safety and security in the upcoming general election.

He said Ghana should be paramount on the agenda of every Ghanaian adding: “Let’s think Ghana first and stop the unfounded statements that have the tendency to erupt into violence.”

DCOP Yaagy said this at his maiden meeting with senior police officers, regional executives of the political parties and the media in Takoradi to “chaw chaw” on the issues of peace, fairness, equal rights and justice during the November 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.

He said stakeholders in the forthcoming elections must become abreast of the laws relating to electoral violence and abide by the code of ethics for peaceful elections.

DCOP Yaagy said, the police, media, civil society organisations and the citizens must endeavour to adhere to the various code of conducts regarding the electoral process: “We are all expected to perform our part of the social contract in a responsible manner.”

He called on political parties not to make inflammatory statements, stop defacing posters of opponent as well as avoid inciting against each other.

Rather, he encouraged them to use inter-party dialogue mechanisms to resolve and restore relationships in the events lf misunderstanding adding: “Failure will require the intervention of the police.”

DCOP Yaagy called for accurate reportage as well as the need for responsible utterances and circumspection especially in the air waves.

He said elections has always been a contest of ideas and therefore encouraged all and sundry to trade ideas and not insults.