National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has indicated that measures are in place to avert the use of any weapons at any polling station during the Assin North elections.
According to him, the Inspector General of Police, George Akuffo Dampare has noted that he has dispatched enough police personnel with the adequate resources to ensure protection therefore there is no need for anyone else to wield any weapon for security reasons.
Speaking to TV3, Asiedu Nketia noted that even bodyguards of Members of Parliament, DCEs among others will not be allowed to have weapons anywhere close to the polling station.
“Bodyguards are also policemen and they hold weapons. The IGP has declared the district weapon-free because the police will provide protection. It is everybody, anyone who has weapons which are discovered will be dealt with by the law. Pistols and other side arms that MP bodyguards usually have, they must dispose of it 100 meters to the polling station. Absolutely no weapon will be allowed at the polling station,” he said.
Asiedu Nketia also noted that police personnel who have been deployed have their names woven in their respective uniforms to ensure uniformity and easy identity.
“The deployed police officers also have their names woven in their uniforms. Any officers without that are not deployed by the IGP for this operation. There’s also an anti-robbery squad but they are not concerned with the elections in any way,” he noted.
Meanwhile, voting has commenced in many centers in the Assin North Constituency as constituents vote to elect a new member of parliament for the area.
The Assin North polls will see James Gyakye Quayson, representing the National Democratic Congress (NDC), contend against Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG).