The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensa, has denied knowledge of any military deployment to polling stations for today’s general elections. According to her, the commission does not have the mandate to determine what security personnel are deployed to centres.
Her statement follows unconfirmed reports of military presence at some polling centres, which would contravene an earlier communiqué from the Ghana Armed Forces.
Addressing a media briefing at the commission’s headquarters, Jean Mensa clarified that such decisions are made by the National Election Security Taskforce (NESTF).
She stated:
Security is not part of our functions. And I think when you look at our laws, whether it is CI 91, CI 127 and the Constitution of Ghana, you recognise that security is not part of our functions. And we do not know the security strategy of the security agencies.
The EC Chair explained that the commission’s role in relation to the NESTF is limited to ensuring the safety of election materials and their distribution. She noted that decisions regarding security deployment are made under the supervision of the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, who heads the taskforce.
She added:
As to the security deployment, we are not aware and we do not, we are not privy to it. So we would, you know, we would, we would investigate these issues.
In a statement dated 6th December, the Ghana Armed Forces reaffirmed that no military personnel would be deployed to polling stations for the elections unless requested by the police.
However, at a news conference held yesterday in Kumasi, the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) alleged that some 200 individuals posing as military personnel had been deployed to the Ashanti Region to intimidate voters.
In a subsequent statement signed by its General Secretary, Fifi Kwetey, the NDC described the alleged military deployment to local communities as unlawful and unconstitutional, calling on President Akufo-Addo to withdraw the action.