The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has reassured Ghanaians of its neutral and limited role in the upcoming December 7 general elections, responding to concerns from various stakeholders regarding the possibility of military deployment at polling stations. The GAF emphasized that it will only act upon the request of the police, maintaining its commitment to a peaceful and orderly election process while avoiding unnecessary military involvement.
Clarifying the military’s position, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) emphasized that soldiers will not be stationed at polling stations during the upcoming elections. Instead, their role will be strictly supportive of the police, and only when requested.
Speaking at an engagement between the Election Security Taskforce and the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Brigadier General Kweku Dankwa Hagan, head of operations, training, and peacekeeping at the Armed Forces headquarters, reaffirmed the military’s commitment to maintaining peace and order throughout the election process.
“We are aware that some members of the public are concerned about the involvement of military personnel in the elections. I want to make it clear that the election process is primarily managed by the Ghana Police Service and other security services under the Ministry of the Interior,” Brigadier General Hagan stated.
He further clarified, “The police will be present at over 40,000 polling stations, and you will not see military personnel like myself at any of these stations.”
“So please be rest assured that we will not be stationed at polling stations,” Brigadier General Hagan continued. “However, in collaboration with the Police Service and the Electoral Commission, we have identified more than 1,000 potential flashpoints and areas that could experience hostility. In these locations, we will deploy personnel to assist in maintaining peace and security.”
“We will not intervene in anything until the Police Service makes a request or asks us to assist,” Brigadier General Hagan stated.
This assurance is part of ongoing efforts by the Election Security Taskforce to build public confidence in the security arrangements for the upcoming elections, ensuring that the military’s role remains supportive and limited to specific situations where assistance is needed.
