The police service has assigned security details to political parties for personal guard services ahead of this year’s elections. Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Cephas Arthur, said each political party has been assigned six security persons, four of whom will ensure the safety of flag bearers while two protect their running mates. “It is purely for personal security responsibility that we are assigning these people. They are not supposed to be involved in any politics. The police officers are also to appear in police uniforms at all times,” Superintendent Arthur explained. The issue of security for presidential candidates and their running mates came to fore after three South African security experts were arrested and later deported for training some of New Patriotic Party (NPP) bodyguards. The trainees, according to the NPP, were supposed to provide security to the party’s flagbearer and other key members of the party before and during the November polls. The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) said the activities of the South Africans constituted a threat to national security, hence the decision to arrest and deport them. The assignment of the security detail by the Ghana Police Service is aimed at preventing political parties from hiring their own bodyguards. The NPP, Independent People’s Party (IPP), All People’s Congress (APC) are among the parties that have been assigned security details so far. Police say the political parties will not pay for the services of the security detail assigned to them. Police say their men have been given a special training and are capable of providing VIP protection.
Source: Myjoyonline
