Police identify 1400 trouble spots prior to December poll

The Ghana Police Service says it has identified some 1400 flashpoints nationwide that are likely to disturb the December 7 elections.

The Director of Operations at the Police Headquarters, DCOP Patrick Timbillah disclosed this in Tamale in the Northern Region.

He declined to mention the specific flashpoints that had been identified, adding that making them public could heighten tensions in the country, especially the northern Ghana.

DCOP Patrick Timbillah was addressing a meeting of the country's security services.

Security analysts however say such hotspots must include areas where there have been violent clashes or at least mild skirmishes in past national exercises, including the recent limited voter's registration exercise.

Although any area in the country is a possible trouble spot, they say the situation in northern Ghana could be murkier.

At the meeting of security services in Tamale aimed at preparing the services for the security challenges ahead of the elections, Mr Timbillah said a lot of responsibility lie on the security services to ensure the country takes a peaceful ballot.

The meeting is expected to device means of harmonising security operations in the country. Participants from the various forces will be taken through a joint training programme.

DCOP Timbillah said the fact that both the ruling New Patriotic Party and the main opposition National Democratic Congress have tasted power before puts enormous responsibility on the security services, as both parties gun for another mandate to rule the country.

He said the huge security burden on forces underscores the need to remain firm and resolute, and avoid all partisan political leanings.

Mr Timbillah said any semblance of party political affiliations on the part of any security person would not go unpunished.

He charged his men to adopt the best attitude to their job to prove wrong certain sections of the population who claim to have lost confidence in the security services.

The Northern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Ofosu Gyeabour told the forces that although there could be violent confrontations during the elections, the police must remain 'tough' to deal with any 'glitch'.

Story by Fiifi Koomson

[Joy News contributed reporting]