IGP assures NPP Presidential Elections Committee of adequate security on Nov 4

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, has assured the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of a strong police presence during its upcoming presidential elections.

He said this was because the Ghana Police Service is committed to deepening the nation’s democracy so that Ghana will continue being a beacon of hope in the sub-region and on the continent, and for people to continuously learn from the nation.

“All we require from you is that you support us in order to play our roles and with that we will be able to ensure that the police, the EC will do their work and all the people who will be voting across the country will come out freely and willingly to vote and all the agents will do what they are supposed to do,” he said.

The IGP was speaking at an engagement with the NPP Presidential Elections Committee and the Electoral Commission (EC) for preparations towards the party’s bid to elect a leader for the 2024 general elections.

Present at the meeting were Former Speaker of Parliament, Rev. Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye who is the Chairman of the committee; other members of the elections committee; the General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Frimpong Kodua; the Deputy Chairman of the EC in-charge of Operations, Samuel Tettey, who led the EC’s delegation; and representatives of the various aspirants.

Dr. George Akuffo Dampare noted that the Ghana Police Service had successfully conducted a similar exercise with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and used the opportunity to thank all the political parties, particularly the NPP, for accepting to collaborate and engage.

“We have worked with the party for nearly two years now to position it leaders across all the levels from constituency, regional, national and now working towards electing a presidential candidate,” he said.

“The first leg we worked together and we were able to have a successful exercise We have the second leg of that exercise and we also look forward to the final leg next year as you elect your parliamentary candidates,” the Inspector-General of Police added.

Background
The NPP will hold its presidential primary on Saturday, November 4, 2023, to elect a flag bearer for the party in the 2024 general election.

Persons contesting to become the flagbearer of the party are; a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Mampong Constituency, Francis Addai-Nimoh; the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong Kennedy Agyapong, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia.

About 200,000 delegates are expected to cast their votes in the election and voting would commence at 7 a.m. and close at 2 p.m per the guidelines issued by the party for the conduct of the November 4 polls.

The delegates for the election comprise of all members of the National Council, National, Regional and Constituency Executive Committees, Electoral Area Coordinators, five polling station executives in each polling station (Chairman, Secretary, Organiser, Youth and Women Organisers).

Source: graphic online