Presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama believes the Ghana Police Service has what it takes to maintain peace and security during elections in the country.
While commending them for ensuring peace during the party’s presidential primaries on Saturday, the Former President urged the service to provide security for all democratic processes.
Although successive government commit resources to revamp the security agencies, many have questioned the readiness of the Ghana Police Service for the 2020 general elections following the violence that occurred during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections.
But, Mr. Mahama said the conduct of the police during the NDC primaries meant the service could professionally handle all security issues in a manner that will not taint Ghana’s democratic credentials.
“I want to take the opportunity to thank the Ghana Police Service. I believe that with guarantee of our trust and confidence, the service can rise to the occasion as they have shown and ensure security for our democratic processes into the future. Our election has been a test and I believe most will agree that the Ghana Police Service performed creditably. And it is our hope that we can collaborate with the service to ensure that, future elections are successful as our presidential primaries were.”
You made our primaries peaceful despite initial scepticism – NDC commends Police
Meanwhile, the NDC has commended the Ghana Police Service for ensuring that last Saturday’s presidential primaries were peaceful.
The party ahead of the polls indicated that as part of its security arrangement, it would not employ the services of private security agencies but use the services of the police to avert any unforeseen chaos.
It would also be recalled that the NDC questioned the integrity of the police service, after accusing them of poorly superintending over the shooting incident during the January 31 Ayawaso West Wougon by-election.
But, General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketsia said despite the party’s initial scepticism, officers deployed on the Election Day appropriately conducted themselves.
“We also handed over the security aspect of the election to the Ghana Police Service and we indicated to them that we are not so sure whether they were going to deliver because of the history we have on what happened at the Ayawaso West Wuogon where there were infiltrators; so we checked mate each. And so, we want to pat them on their backs and I hope that nothing is orchestrated to divert this important victory.”
Peaceful presidential primaries
In what has been described as successful elections, the NDC elected a presidential candidate to represent the party in the 2020 general election on Saturday.
Almost 280,000 delegates cast their ballot in the election which took place in all the constituencies nationwide under the supervision of the Electoral Commission.
Seven individuals battled it out in the polls that saw former President Mahama come out victorious with an overwhelming 95.23 percent of valid votes cast.
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By: Nii Larte Lartey & Ann-Shirley Ziwu | citinewsroom.com | Ghana