As part of the efforts to ensure peace and security, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) George Akuffo Dampare has met the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead of today’s by-election in the Assin North Constituency in the Central Region.
The meeting which was held at the Assin State College SHS was aimed at discussing and promote a peaceful election on Tuesday, June 27, 2023.
At the meeting, the two major parties presented their case to the IGP, and also discussed security arrangements, ways to deal with any electoral malpractices which may occur and ensure free and fair elections.
Dr. Akuffo Dampare in his remarks stressed on the need for transparency, impartiality, and neutrality in the electoral process and reassured all parties and the general public of the police readiness in protecting the rights of citizens during and after the elections.
The Police have deployed about eight hundred officers to the Assin North constituency.
Meanwhile, the Police have also deployed a medical team from the Police Hospital led by DCOP Dr Samuel Otu-Nyarko to embark on day and night medical outreach programme within the community, as part of security tour ahead of the upcoming Assin North by-election.
The Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral system Commission (EC), Dr Serebour Quaicoe, also said the Police have assured that there would be enough security on the ground to allow for a smooth process.
Dr Quaicoe explained that the expected number of men will be enough to maintain law and order at all polling stations.
“So, if we are bringing 800 and the place has 99 polling stations, it means that one polling station may have an average of eight police officers, so we are hoping that the security will be revamped, and we will have a peaceful election,” he said.
Both parties are in the race to win the Assin North seat after the Supreme Court ordered Parliament to expunge James Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records after nullifying the results of the 2020 polls in the constituency.
-BY Daniel Bampoe