Mr Godson Bill Ocloo, the Executive Director of Africa Centre for Emergency Management and Human Security, has urged the National Security hierarchy to begin early preparations ahead of the 2024 general elections.
This, he said, would help to strategise all security measures to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment of potential areas of concern such as vulnerabilities and threats ahead of the election.
Mr Ocloo, who is also a security analyst, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, urged national security operatives to increase the visibility of personnel in key locations to deter any potential disruptions to reassure the public of safety.
‘We have few months to the general elections, so National Security should begin working closely with other relevant stakeholders such as election officials, political parties, and community leaders to coordinate security efforts and share information adequately,’ he stated.
Mr Ocloo further explained that training and capacity building among security personnel sh
ould be prioritised to ensure well-trained personnel in handling various scenarios, crowd control, and conflict resolution techniques.
He also advised that comprehensive emergency response plans should be put in place to address any unexpected and unforeseen situation.
‘I believe that conducting a thorough public awareness campaign to educate the public on the election security measures, and reporting procedures among others would be helpful.’
Mr Ocloo stated that political parties and their various security forces should cooperate with the National Security and the government for a smooth democratic process.
He urged the youth not to sacrifice or risk their life for any political party or politician.
He also appealed to the public to exercise their franchise in peace ‘because the election is not about violence, we can’t afford to lose any life before, during, and after the elections.’
Mr Ocloo charged all security personnel to exhibit a high level of professionalism in dealing with issues to prevent an
y havoc in the country.
Source: Ghana News Agency