Seasoned security analyst, Professor Kwasi Aning has asserted that the Ministry of Information and its stakeholders to utilize the limited time left before the elections to educate the public on proper election conduct.
Security measures in Bawku have been intensified ahead of Ghana’s pivotal December 7 general elections, with travelers undergoing rigorous checks before being escorted into the area. This heightened security is a response to Bawku being identified as a potential hotspot for electoral violence
To mitigate potential unrest, authorities have significantly reinforced security presence in Bawku, deploying additional personnel to maintain law and order. Stringent measures are in place to guarantee peace and safety, reflecting the government’s commitment to preventing electoral violence
Speaking on Election Countdown on GHOne TV with Serwaa Amihere, the political analyst cautioned that to avoid the resurgence of violence in Bawku during the December 7 elections, the major stakeholders should work closely together to ensure that citizens are well-informed on how to conduct themselves to ensure a casualty-free electoral process.
Professor Aning also stressed the importance of assuring citizens that the security personnel assigned are to protect them and ensure a free, fair, and safe electoral process.
“I would suggest that together with the Ministry of Information and other agencies go out there and inform people throughout the night how they should behave, what they should do, where they should go but even more importantly, to get people to understand that the security is in place to protect them that they can go about their voting and that nothing is going to happen.
“I think if we fail to bring the different institutions that need to work together to ensure peace and stability in Bawku tomorrow then I think we will have a resurgence in the violence but 12 hours of concerted action is long enough to inform people the question is, how do you rebuild trust you know, in a society where suspicion is rife where misunderstanding is deep where the suspicions are also very deep.
“My hope is that this information will be shared that all leaders, youth, women, and religious groups will play their role so that at least tomorrow, as people begin to queue, they will be assured that they are safe,” the security analyst noted.
