As Ghana prepares for its critical 2024 elections, Kwasi Pratt, the Managing Editor of The Insight newspaper, has expressed deep concerns over the involvement of political party activists in security decisions ahead of the vote.
Pratt questioned the appropriateness of ministers, who are active members of the ruling party, taking charge of key security measures for the election.
His comments came in response to the decision by the Interior Ministry to close all land borders in the country ahead of the elections. The ministry announced the move on December 7, stating that the closure was a precautionary measure to ensure a smooth, transparent, and fair electoral process. The borders are expected to reopen on December 8.
Pratt, however, voiced his unease about the role of political figures in security arrangements, noting that it undermines the integrity of the election security structure. “You have set up an election security committee headed by the Inspector General of Police to distance political party activists from being in charge of security,” Pratt said. “But now, you are allowing ministers who are party activists to make decisions that affect the security of the election. This is a huge problem.”
With just hours to go before the polls open, Pratt stressed the importance of ensuring that security measures are impartial and not influenced by political considerations. He called for clarification on some of the recent decisions and raised concerns that these actions could compromise the security task force led by the police.
As voters head to the polls today to elect their leaders for the next four years, the election’s integrity and the role of security remain key issues of focus.
