Security expert Adam Bonaa has endorsed the Ghana Police Service’s readiness to oversee election security and urged against the use of the military at polling stations.
Past elections, particularly the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election, saw incidents of violence that raised questions about the roles of military and police forces at polling stations. Public discourse has since shifted, with security experts and policymakers advocating for a police-led approach to election security and limited military involvement, unless absolutely necessary. The current police administration has been widely praised for its handling of election security, fostering a largely peaceful environment for political activities.
Commenting on the issue on Starr Today with Tutuwaa Danso, Dr. Bonaa emphasized that the Ghana Police, led by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare is well-prepared to manage election safety.
He pointed out that since the current police administration took charge, elections have been conducted without the violent incidents that plagued previous polls, citing the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election as a past example. According to him, both general and internal party elections have been managed by the police with notable effectiveness and without major security issues.
“And you see,” he noted, “thankfully with the police administration is resourced. And it’s one thing you can’t take away from this current administration when you have internal security officers well resolved.” He suggested that entrusting security responsibilities to the police has been effective and warned that bringing in the military could introduce avoidable risks.
He further highlighted concerns about deploying armed military personnel in civilian areas like polling stations, saying, “The call is a good call, right? That the military should stay away from polling centres…you do not deploy [the military] without firearms and weapons…when that happens, any innocent person could be killed.”
With ongoing discussions about election security strategies, his position supports the view that the military should be reserved for situations requiring high-level security intervention, rather than for routine election duty. This perspective is increasingly favored, especially among those who trust the police as Ghana’s primary internal security agency to handle polling center safety effectively.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Mary Asantewaa Buabeng
