We�ll Crash Ballot Box Snatchers - Police

The Accra Regional Police Command said it would arrest any motorbike rider found within 50 meters of the voting area on Election Day � December 7. It announced this when it launched a 17-member Security Task Force to handle security issues before, during and after the December elections. The task force headed by the Accra Regional Police Commander DCOP Patrick Timbillah is made up of representatives of all security agencies in Accra. Addressing the media, DCOP Timbillah said it has made arrangements to cater for the over 200 flash points in Accra. �We have 251 flash points in Accra and this places we will beef up security to ensure nothing untoward happens. We are going to have patrol teams very close these hot spots so that in time of need they can quickly go round to address it and maintain law and order,� he assured. He said: �Besides that we are positioning reserves at vantage points and these reserves will serve as enforcement to the patrol team that will respond to any public order issues.� �Drinking bars will not be opened very close to the polling stations and nobody will ride motorbikes into that restricted area. We want to avoid the incident of people coming in with motorbikes to come and snatch ballot boxes. If a motor comes around we are going to arrest the fellow.� Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Force has also revealed it will deploy personnel across the country to ensure a violent-free election in December. �It is our intension as we go into the election period to increase the number of troops,� the chief of Defence Staff, Lt. General Augustine Blay, said when he paid a courtesy call on the Upper West Regional Minister, Hamidu Sulemana.