The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has sought to reassure the public about its limited and neutral role in the upcoming December 7 general elections, following concerns over potential military presence at polling stations.

In a statement, GAF clarified that soldiers will not be deployed to polling stations during the elections. Instead, their role will be strictly supportive of the police, and only upon request.

Brigadier General Kweku Dankwa Hagan, the head of operations, training, and peacekeeping at the Armed Forces headquarters, addressed these concerns during an engagement with the Election Security Taskforce and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) on Wednesday, 27 November.

“We are aware that some people are worried about military involvement in the elections. I want to make it clear that the Ghana Police Service, along with other security agencies under the Ministry of the Interior, are in charge of securing the polls,” said Brigadier General Hagan.

He added that military personnel would not be stationed at the country’s more than 40,000 polling stations. However, he noted that over 1,000 flashpoints and potentially volatile areas had been identified, where military support could be requested by the police.

“We will not intervene unless the police formally request our assistance,” he said.

The statement is part of ongoing efforts by the Election Security Taskforce to reassure Ghanaians about the safety and integrity of the election process.

Source:TheDotNews