The African Electoral Institute (AEI) has lauded the security agencies, particularly the Ghana Police Service for providing adequate security for the ongoing voter registration exercise across the country.
In a statement signed by the AEI Head of the Electoral Security Department, Ex.W/O1 Alhaji Yussif Mahamah however urged the security agencies to do more in areas with less security personnel.
“The African Electoral Institute (AEI) has been monitoring the security situation at the various limited registration centers across the country since the start of the Limited Voter Registration Exercise by the Electoral Commission.
“The Institute even though is satisfied with the security provided at the various registration centers, it holds the view that much still needs to be done with what has been witnessed in some registration centers across the country where pockets of violence or confusion have been witnessed,” Mr. Mahamah stated.
He continued: “The AEI also found out that, while some registration centers have more security personnel numbering between five and ten, others have only two personnel.”
Below is the full statement
PRESS RELEASE
DATE: 11TH MAY, 2024.
TO: ALL MEDIA HOUSES.
FROM THE SECURITY DESK OF AFRICAN ELECTORAL INSTITUTE (AEI)
The African Electoral Institute (AEI) wish to commend the State Security Agencies especially the Ghana Police for doing a good job so far since the start of the Limited Voter Registration Exercise on 7th May, 2024.
The African Electoral Institute (AEI) has been monitoring the security situation at the various limited registration centers across the country since the start of the Limited Voter Registration Exercise by the Electoral Commission.
The Institute even though is satisfied with the security provided at the various registration centers, it holds the view that much still needs to be done with what has been witnessed in some registration centers across the country where pockets of violence or confusion has been witnessed.
The African Electoral Institute has observed that in some of the registration centers where misunderstandings among Political Parties assigns or agents has erupted, some of the security there has looked on helpless because of their numbers whilst in some instances they tried to handle or intervene without success because of lack of adequate personnel.
The AEI also found out that, while some registration centers have more security personnel numbering between five and ten, others have only two personnel.
Considering the high number of registrants who turn up for the exercise, in case of confusion in any center with little security presence, it will be difficult to contain the situation immediately without reinforcement.
The African Electoral Institute (AEI) therefore wish to encourage or urge the Security Agencies to do more by increasing the number of personal at the Registration Centres; especially at the flash points from now to the end of the registration exercise .
SIGNED:
HEAD OF ELECTORAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT- AEI
Ex.W/O1 Alhaji Yussif Mahamah (0243311965)
Augustus Kweku Eshun
(Director of Communications and External Relations)
Tel 024-460 9891
Deputy Director of Communications
Joshua Nii Adjin- Tettey
0540904550
3rd Dep. Director of Communications
Emmanuel Biri
0538421573 ( WESTERN REGION AND CENTRAL REGION)
African Electoral Institute ( AEI) is a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) founded to deliver sustainable electoral solutions to Emerging and Developed Democracies to strengthen, augment, and build electoral stakeholders capacity and participation on electoral issues through electoral education on voter’s rights and freedom, electoral research, election monitoring, election observation, election results collation, election security awareness and training of polling agents and elections directors underscoring the fact that “elections are won at the polling stations’’ and the participation of all identifiable electoral stakeholders in an electoral process such as Political Parties, Governmental Institutions, underpinning transparency and accountability for a free, fair, and credible elections in Africa and the wider world.
Motto: “Integrity of Choice”
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
