6,000 soldiers to be deployed for elections

About 6,000 personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) would be deployed nationwide to assist in the maintenance of law and order during this year’s elections.

Apart from joint operations with the police and other security agencies before and during the day of elections, the Air Force and the Navy would convey electoral materials and officials of the Electoral Commission to inaccessible areas, like the Dwarf Island in the Afram plains in the Eastern Region.

Brigadier-General Sampson Kudjo Adeti, Chief of Staff of the GAF, disclosed these on Friday when members of the Ghana chapter of ECOWAS-Community Development Programme (ECOWAS-CDP) paid a courtesy call on him at the General Headquarters, Burma Camp, Accra.

The visit was to officially introduce the network to the Military High Command and to see how best they could work together with other security agencies.

Brig.-Gen. Adeti said as front liners, the GAF was determined to defend the country against any external aggression.

He explained that though the Police and other security agencies like the Bureau of National Investigations, the National Security Council Secretariat, Immigrations Service, among others, were to ensure internal security; his outfit had been collaborating with them, particularly, the police, at ensuring security, law and order.

Brig.-Gen. Adeti also said the GAF was part of the National Election Security Taskforce, which was planning towards the success of the elections.

Aside the elections, the Chief of Staff said the GAF had 20 operational units to deal with other social issues and mentioned “Operation Calm Life, Anti-Armed Robbery, Anti Fulani, Anti Galamsey and Operation Gongong as examples.

Brig.-Gen. Adeti commended the network for their move, saying the role of the media towards national development was key.

He said the sustenance of the country’s peace, democracy and development required the collaboration of all stakeholders, including the media.