Nanumba North District in the Northern Region has inaugurated an 11-member District Security Task Force ahead of the November polls, to address issues that may arise before, during and after the upcoming general elections in the country.
Nanumba North District is one of the flash points identified in the country as a violent prone area, especially as the struggles with a serious chieftaincy dispute as a result of which a dusk to dawn curfew has been imposed on the Bimbilla Township for more than two years now.
This has necessitated collaboration between the military and the police to put in place an election security task force, to curtail any security threats ahead of the November polls.
The committee chaired by the District Police Commander, DSP Ben Aniya, has its members from the various institutions in the district.
The members are drawn from the Ghana Police Service, the military, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the Ghana Ambulance Service and the Ghana National Fire Service.
Others include the Ghana Education Service (GES), the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), and the Nanumba District Assembly.
The rest are the Electoral Commission, the information Services Department and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
The Chairman of the Committee, DSP Ben Aniya, said the task ahead was a herculean one, and thus urged members to be committed to the course to achieve peace before, during and after the elections in the area.
“We as stakeholders have a major role in ensuring election security as Ghana goes to the polls in November this year. Experiences from the past general elections point to the fact that, if care is not taken by all stakeholders, there is the likelihood that this year’s election would be marred by violence.”
He said election violence in the country has in past been orchestrated by some groups largely supported by known political parties who act with impunity.
He said although the police, the military and other security agencies have the primary responsibility over state security, it is the EC that will provide the necessary assistance to support the security agencies in their operations when it comes to electoral security, before, during and after the elections.
The DCE for Nanumba North District, Alhaji Mohammed Ibn Abass, in his inaugural speech lauded the security for the brilliant idea in the formation of the task force.
He said the formation of the task force is more relevant to the district because of its peculiar security situation as the rights of residents in the area have been curtailed.
“This task force is more relevant particularly to our district because of our peculiar situation. For some time now, the public safety and security have not been what we expect. Our freedoms have been curtailed in one way or other because of the security situation and so we need to double our steps to ensure that the next election which is crucial to Ghanaians are conducted in a free and fair manner.’’
He pledged the assembly’s support to the committee and urged members to conduct themselves in a way that will earn the trust of the public.
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By: Mohammed Aminu Alabira/citifmonline.com/Ghana