The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has for the umpteenth time emphasized that the presence of military at polling stations is prohibited unless authorized.To enforce this directive, GAF has urged the public to report any military personnel that they may be spotted at these locations. The GAF has also instructed that civilians wearing military-patterned attire or accoutrements fall under the category of individuals to be reported.

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In an official statement, GAF indicated that this measure aims to help prevent any confusion or potential disruption at polling stations during the electoral process."The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) wishes to inform the public of its role in ensuring the peaceful conduct of the upcoming 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

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As part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining national security and peace during this critical democratic exercise, GAF wishes to reiterate that no military personnel will be stationed at any polling station. "GAF's presence will be limited to standby support, with the primary responsibility for election security remaining with the Ghana Police Service (GPS). The military will only be deployed upon request by the GPS.

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This collaborative approach ensures that the elections proceed smoothly and peacefully while maintaining law and order.

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"In the spirit of transparency and to prevent any misunderstandings, we encourage the public to report any military personnel, individual(s) identifying themselves as GAF personnel, or any individual(s) wearing military-patterned attire/accoutrements found at any polling station to the nearest Police Station or call the following GPS toll free numbers: 18555 or 0800 311 311," it added.

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As part of its operational plans for the 2024 general elections GAF will focus on maintaining security at over 1,000 high-risk areas identified as potential hotspots for disturbances.<img src="

alt="" class="wp-image-730791"/>However, GAF personnel will not be stationed at polling stations, according to Brigadier General Kweku Dankwa Hagan, the head of operations, training, and

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peacekeeping.Speaking to the media, Brigadier General Hagan clarified that the Ghana Police Service will oversee election security at polling stations, with military intervention limited to instances where police require support.He further assured the public that GAF’s presence would uphold impartiality and professionalism, aiming to protect the integrity of the electoral process.

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“We are mindful of the fact that some sections of the population are apprehensive of military personnel taking part in the election. I want to clarify that the election is primarily being handled by the Ghana Police Service and other security services under the Ministry of Interior.“They are the people you will be seeing at over 40,000 polling stations. You will not see military personnel like me at a polling station.

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“So please be rest assured that we shall not be there. However, we have identified with the police service and the Electoral Commission about more than 1,000 flashpoints and possible hostile areas, and we are going to have personnel there.“We will not intervene in anything until the police service has a request or asks us to assist,” he said.

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Report any military personnel you see at a polling station - Ghana Armed Forces Further details below 👇 #Election2024 pic.twitter.com/6w7Bm4CGoY&mdash; Kafui Dey (@KafuiDey) December 2, 2024

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