As Ghana gears up for its December 7 elections, the Police Planning Officer at the UN Mission Support for Justice Reform, ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, has urged stakeholders to pay attention to critical risks that could undermine the process.
Speaking at a forum organized by the GIMPA Law Students Association on Wednesday, he identified areas requiring vigilance to ensure peaceful and credible elections.
Dr. Agordzo warned against complacency, emphasizing that the strategies used for by-elections, such as Assin North, cannot simply be scaled for a nationwide poll.
“We may pride ourselves on success in Assin North, but we don’t have the luxury of saturating the entire country with police. National elections require a completely different approach,” he explained.
He also raised concerns about the role of the National Security SWAT team, describing it as unconstitutional.
“The Constitution, in Article 202, states that no police service should be created unless by an Act of Parliament. So, where did the National SWAT come from?
“Their orientation and training lean towards a particular regime, and deploying them will not serve the cause of peace,” Dr. Agordzo argued.
Further, he highlighted the lack of proactive engagement with civil society organizations (CSOs).
“If you want peace, include CSOs and think tanks in the planning process from the start. Developing a blueprint before engaging them is counterproductive,” he remarked.
Dr. Agordzo stressed the importance of regular interaction between the National Election Security Task Force (NESTF) and the public, particularly through regional and district commanders.
“The IGP cannot be the sole voice. Commanders at all levels should engage with the media to build trust and clarify the task force’s strategies,” he advised.
As a final note, Dr. Agordzo stated the need for a clear deployment strategy and warned against last-minute preparations.
“Election security is about trust. Stakeholders must feel included, and citizens must trust the process. Anything short of that endangers the peace we all want,” he said.
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