"Our task is to ensure coalition process is conducted in peace, fairness, and full compliance with law" - IGP

The Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has assured Ghanaians that the police and other security agencies will remain neutral, firm, and professional in the face of rising tensions in the Ablekuma North Constituency, where both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have claimed victory.

Speaking at a high-level security meeting with Heads of various institutions at the Police Headquarters in Accra on Thursday, the IGP emphasized that the role of the security services is not to determine electoral outcomes, but to protect the democratic process.

“I stand before you today not only as the Inspector-General of Police, but as a citizen deeply committed to the peace and progress of our beloved nation,” Mr. Yohuno declared.

"The eyes of the nation, and indeed the world, are upon us to see how we manage this situation.”

He described the coalition process in Ablekuma North as a “critical juncture” that demands vigilance, professionalism, and respect for the law.

“Our task is singular and profound—to ensure that the coalition process is conducted in peace, fairness, and full compliance with the law,” he stressed.

The IGP made it clear that the Electoral Commission is the only body mandated to declare election results, and security agencies must focus solely on maintaining order.

“We have to secure the environment within which the truth is determined—not to decide the outcome ourselves,” he said.

He also outlined the strategy of the National Election Security Task Force, assuring the public of a firm but measured presence.

"Our presence will be visible, but not provocative. We will act swiftly, but not recklessly. We will remain neutral, both in appearance and in action,” Mr. Yohuno noted.

He concluded with a stern warning against any attempts to disrupt the process.

“We will guard against any attempt by anyone to distort this process through stress or violence,” he said, reinforcing the commitment of the security services to uphold peace and democracy in the country.

On his part, Deputy Chairperson in charge of Operations, Samuel Tettey, disclosed that although results from 11 out of the 12 initially outstanding constituencies have been successfully declared, Ablekuma North remains pending due to challenges surrounding the collation process.

Mr. Tettey noted that the Commission has been in constant dialogue with the Ghana Police Service to secure a safe environment for the collation process to be finalized.

“As the Inspector-General of Police rightly mentioned, we’ve had a series of engagements with the police service to provide the Commission with adequate security to enable us to conclude the collation process for Ablekuma North,” he stated.

He further revealed that the EC, in its most recent correspondence with the IGP and the National Election Security Task Force, requested a meeting—scheduled for today—to map out a clear roadmap to bring the process to a close.

“We are grateful to the National Election Security Task Force for facilitating this important meeting, and we are hopeful that our discussions here will yield practical solutions to the challenges we’ve faced so far,” Mr. Tettey added.

The Deputy Chairperson expressed optimism that with the support of the security agencies and continued cooperation among all stakeholders, the Commission would soon bring closure to the outstanding collation process in Ablekuma North.

Taking his turn, Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Samuel Basintale Amadu issued a strong reminder to the nation’s security services to maintain neutrality, professionalism, and vigilance stressing that “the whole world is watching us.”

Mr. Amadu acknowledged the collective strength of Ghana’s security institutions, describing them as “a collection of outstanding institutions and their commandos,” and urged personnel not to take the electoral security assignment lightly.

“Our job is clear. No bomb is so weak that it cannot cause serious destruction when it explodes. That is why we must treat this mission with the utmost seriousness,” he cautioned.

He further charged officers across the services to adopt a neutral posture and act swiftly against any threats that may arise during the electoral period.

“We are the first line of defense, and we must be ready to strike where necessary. There are bad intentions out there, and we must not take anything for granted,” he warned.

Referencing earlier contributions at the meeting, Mr. Amadu expressed confidence in the security services’ ability to deliver a peaceful election, noting that with coordinated communication among stakeholders, “we will get through this assignment successfully.”

He concluded by reaffirming the global interest in Ghana’s democratic process, stating, “The whole world is looking up to us to deliver on this.”

The Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Kathleen Addy, on the other hand called on Ghanaians—particularly residents of the Ablekuma North Constituency—to accept the results of the 2024 elections as declared by the Electoral Commission.

According to her, doing so is critical to the sustenance of Ghana’s democracy and the peaceful conclusion of the electoral process.

“We all know we are in a democracy, and an election is part of our democratic culture and system. In every election, there is a winner and a loser—there is no middle ground,” she said.

She reminded citizens that even in general elections, one party wins while the other loses, and emphasized that the 2024 election should be no different.

“This is the way to build a democracy. We cannot continue to insist that we have won all the time. That is why we have institutions that have a proven track record of credibility,” she noted.

Ms. Addy urged all political actors and citizens to respect the Electoral Commission’s declaration of results in Ablekuma North and across the country.

“For politicians, I’m sure they understand that we live to fight another day. It is not the end of the world to lose. And it is also not the end of the world to win,” she added.

She concluded by encouraging all stakeholders to contribute to a peaceful and credible conclusion of the 2024 elections, saying it was the collective responsibility of every Ghanaian.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith