The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, has admonished Ghanaians to exhibit high sense of maturity, patriotism and love for humanity as the 2024 election gets closer.
He explained that it was the only way to sustain peace and stability, to entrench the country’s democratic dispensation.
The IGP made the call during the 2024 May Day Forum, organised by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), under the theme: “Election 2024: The Role of Workers and Social Partners in Securing Peaceful Elections for National Development,” in Accra, yesterday.
The forum sought to discuss the role of workers and social partners to ensure free, fair and peaceful election, before, during and after the general elections.
Dr Dampare said there was the need “to be measured in our expectations, actions and inactions, and be guarded in allowing ourselves to be used for one’s selfish interest”.
“When we demonstrate maturity across all ages, patriotism at the national level, and love for humanity, we will be very measured in our utterances, and constructive in criticism of others by allowing the rule of law to operate in its fullness.”
The IGP indicated that the Ghana Police Service had implemented robust security measures to safeguard the electoral process, to ensure a peaceful environment for voting.
He assured of the service’s full support and readiness in working with other stakeholders to maintain law and order, before, during and after the elections.
The Deputy Chairman in Charge of Operations at the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Samuel Tettey, emphasised the Commission’s commitment to ensuring fair, transparent, and peaceful electoral process.
He indicated that measures were being put in place to guarantee the integrity of the vote, including the deployment of advanced voting technologies and rigorous training for electoral officers.
Mr Tettey reiterated that the Commission had set May 7-27, 2024, for updating the voters’ register ahead of the December elections, to allow those who just turned 18 to have their names captured in the voters’ register.
He said that an exhibition of the voters’ registration will be subsequently done to allow for corrections of names or other details.
The chairman of the National Peace Council, Rev. Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, in a speech read on his behalf, said the council had instituted measures ahead of the general elections, which included peace education and advocacy against threat of violent extremism, vigilante and election-related violence in all the 275 constituencies.
He urged all workers and social partners to place the nation above individual interest and uphold the values of tolerance, respect and unity, which were essential for the consolidation of peace and national development.
BY VIVIAN ARTHUR
