OBEY ELECTORAL LAWS ...Supt Solomon Ntim (NSEMPA, PAGE 4)

By Samuel Duodu, Techiman

THE Techiman Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Solomon K. Ntim has reminded the various political parties contesting the December 7, general election that, it was illegal to campaign after 6p.m. as stipulated in the country’s electoral laws.
He has therefore cautioned that the police will no longer offer any form of protection to any political party that violated the law and campaigned during that period.
Supt Ntim gave the reminder at a meeting of the Municipal Election Security Task, to devise strategies to handle security during, before and after next month's general election in the Techiman South and North constituencies in the Techiman municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The objective of the meeting was to harmonise the role and operations of all the security agencies that made up the district and regional task force, to adopt a common approach to tackle difficult situations.
It was attended by Heads of Security agencies, representatives from the municipal assembly and the media.
Supt Ntim also appealed to the parties to stop personal attacks and concentrate on issues as well as how they will solve the problems confronting the country.
The Municipal Police Commander also called on the citizenry especially the youth, to cooperate with security personnel and electoral officers, to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections this year.
He said the police administration would deploy about 500 personnel to the municipality to help maintain law and order.
Speaking on the ‘role of the electorate and political parties,’ the Municipal Director of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Simon Ogah urged all political leaders to conduct themselves responsibly by respecting the laws of the land, adding that the relative peace that the nation was enjoying must be maintained during and after the elections so that Ghanaians can continue to carry out their daily activities.
Mr Ogah appealed to the parties to do away with suspicions and speculations that the election could be rigged.
He pointed out that the stakes in this year's elections, showed that the country was not in the mood to tolerate any electoral malpractices and offences during the elections and therefore advised the citizenry to be law abiding and come out in their numbers to vote on Election Day.
On his part, the Techiman Municipal Electoral Officer Mr Kwabena Asante refuted allegations by leaders and supporters of some political parties that the body was planning to rig the Election.
Mr Asante urged Ghanaians to assist in building a good reputation for the EC and the country, instead of doing things that couldundermine the electoral process.
He announced that three additional poling stations have been created at Gyarko Junior High School (JSH), Islamic Primary A and Godbless to minimise the long queues at some polling stations during the elections.
Mr Asante said Techiman now has 173 polling stations with 102 for Techiman South and 71 for Techiman North constituencies.