The Ghana Police Service recently established a National Elections Security Taskforce (NESTS) as part of their effort to safeguard the electoral process in preparation for the 2024 national elections.
The police play a pivotal role in safeguarding the electoral process. To adequately prepare them to execute their mandate, the AGA-Africa Programme collaborated with the National Elections Security Task Force, Ghana Police on an engaging workshop titled ‘The Role of Law Enforcement in Safeguarding the Integrity of the Electoral Process’ held on 23rd-25th August, 2023 in Accra, Ghana.
The workshop brought together officers from the Ghana Police Service as well as national and regional subject matter experts Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia.
The workshop was aimed at equipping participants with knowledge and expertise to enhance their competencies in safeguarding the electoral process. It was also aimed at improving the understanding of policing as a supporting service to the national electoral process as well as arming the police with the requisite skills to manage any issues that may arise and protect life and property in the upcoming national elections.
Maame Hagan, AGA-Africa Programme Country Coordinator for Ghana kicked off the workshop with opening remarks.
Speaking at the opening ceremony Markus Green, AGA-Africa Programme noted that the AGA-Africa Programme has done a lot of work on election security training in Kenya, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. He acknowledged the magnitude of the issue noting that it was not limited to Africa but was a universal problem.
COP Christian Yohonu, Director General Administration, Ghana Police Service delivered the keynote address on behalf of George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector General of Police. COP Yohunu, urged the participants to actively take part in the deliberations and come out with workable recommendations to propel the role of law enforcement officers in their duty to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process in Ghana.
The engaging sessions were facilitated by ACP Al-Meyao Abass Kwarasey, Director of Operations and Commanding Officer, Formed Police Unit Headquarters, Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent Florence Owusu, Director, National Elections Security Task Force Secretariat, Ghana Police Service, CP Basil Idegwu, Election Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Force, Nigeria Police Service, Felix Owuor, Executive Director, Electoral Law and Governance Institute for Africa, Kenya, Dr. Ehiz Odigie-Okpataku, Executive Director, Steady Hope Support Initiative, Dr. Simon Mwangi Wanderi, Director Planning, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Kenya, Elizabeth Kufuor, Directorate Administrative Justice, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Ghana, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, Director of Electoral Services, Electoral Commission of Ghana, Kofi- Kye-Duodu, Head, Procurement Department, Electoral Commission of Ghana and Edward Njovu, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Zambia Police Service.
ACP Al-Meyao Abass Kwaresey, Ghana Police, Director of Operations and Commanding Officer, Formed Police Unit Headquarters, Ghana Police Service delivered the closing remarks on behalf of George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector General of Police.
Chukukere Unamba-Oparah, AGA-Africa Programme Director and Country Coordinator for Kenya also gave closing remarks.
Maame Hagan, AGA-Africa Programme Country Coordinator for Ghana, brought the workshop to a close, thanking the participants for their attendance and participation.
Workshop Outcome
Through this workshop the participants:
- Gained insights on innovations of the Electoral Act and the practicability of its enforcement by the police officers.
- Enhanced their understanding on how crucial emotional intelligence is for a police officer when dealing with civilians during elections.
- Gained knowledge on the principles of electoral democracy strategy which serves to enhance the integrity of elections.
