The police have increased deployment of personnel in the Ejisu constituency to tighten security before, during and after Tuesday’s parliamentary by-election.
Police sources say enough officers, mostly from the Formed Police Unit (FPU) and the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), drawn from other parts of the country have been assembled to support the Ashanti South Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service.
“The number of police personnel currently available in Ejisu could be almost a quarter of the total population of Ejisu,” a police source told Myjoyonline.com.
Though police sources will not disclose details of police operations, Myjoyonline.com monitoring has revealed that police operations are being carried out by both plain-clothed and uniformed officers who are assigned to carry out snap check duties, foot patrols, motorcycle patrols, as well as recce at some designated but vantage points.
Enough men, with some armed, would be dispatched to protect the ballots of the electorate.
While each of the 204 polling stations will have at least five uniformed officers supported by plain-clothed officers to protect the ballot, each of the 28 electoral areas will have a stationary rapid response team to deal with any security situation that may arise.
At least 106,812 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots in the Ejisu constituency following the death of the Member of Parliament in the area, Dr John Ampotuah Kumah.
A former MP and Deputy Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, Gabriel Agyemang Joseph, and Attakorah Joseph—all independent candidates—are contesting the elections.
Others are Esther Osei of the Convention People’s Party, Kwabena Boateng of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Beatrice Boakye of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).
Only an NPP MP can convince me to develop Ejisu – Akufo-Addo [Video]