V/R recorded isolated cases of disorder during election

Ho, Dec. 15, GNA - The Volta Region recorded only isolated cases of disorder during last Tuesday's election, well below the 139 potentially volatile flashpoints identified in the region, Mr Kofi Duku Arthur, Regional Police Commander said on Tuesday.

He was giving an overview of the security situation in the region during the elections at a press briefing in Ho.

Mr Arthur said the most challenging task that confronted the security network in the region was in the Nkwanta-South Constituency, where the Police had to protect election officials against threats and harassment from supporters of an Independent candidate in the race in Nkwanta-North.

He said that Independent candidate had failed to convince the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) to move the New Ago and Jupo Polling Stations in the Nkwanta-South Constituency, perceived to be his strongholds to the Nkwanta-North Constituency.

Mr Arthur said the candidate subsequently called for a boycott of the election at those two polling stations as a result of which his supporters threatened to molest the election officials if they operated in the area.

Mr Arthur said the heavy presence of the police prevented any mishap and made way for smooth balloting in the area. He said other areas where some form of violence was recorded were Dambai, in the Krachi-East Constituency, Kpeve in South-Dayi, Dzodze in the Ketu-North, Akatsi in Ave-Avenor, Sogakope and Battor in the South and North Tongu constituencies.

Mr Arthur said at Kpeve, the police had to rescue some people sent to the Police Station by National Democratic Congress (NDC) activists who maintained that such persons were not known in the area. He said the people were not in any way interfering in the process of voting as they were outside the area of exclusion for non-election officials or observers.

Mr Arthur said the other incidents, which resulted in assaults arose mainly out of rivalry between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the NDC.