The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, to halt the militarisation of the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
The NDC has expressed deep concern over the deployment of armed military forces with armoured vehicles, machine guns, and sniper weapons into local communities under the guise of providing election security.
In a statement issued on Friday, December 6 signed by its General Secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the NDC categorically stated that this unbridled militarisation was unconstitutional and unlawful, serving only to intimidate the electorate and their families in otherwise peaceful communities.
“An election is not a war. This is a maintenance of law and order mission meant for the law enforcement agencies, not a war or restoration of law and order mission that would be meant for the military,” the statement read.
The NDC referenced Article 200(3) of the 1992 Constitution, which states that the Police Service shall be equipped and maintained to perform its traditional role of maintaining law and order. The party emphasized that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is the Chairman of the National Election Task Force, not the Chief of the Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The NDC noted that the Election Security Task Force, under the chairmanship of the IGP, had indicated that the military would be on call and deploy only when requested by the IGP on a case-by-case basis.
The party questioned whether the ongoing deployment to local communities was at the request of the IGP and what circumstances necessitated such a request even before the elections began.
As a stakeholder in the elections, the NDC reiterated its objection to the ongoing deployment of the military in local communities and called on President Akufo-Addo to order the immediate withdrawal of the military.
The party suggested that, at worst, the military could co-locate with the police at the district level, not in local communities.
The NDC reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful, free, fair, and transparent elections and urged all its supporters to remain vigilant throughout the electioneering period.
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