Speaking at a forum organized by the GIMPA Law Students Association on Wednesday, he identified areas requiring vigilance to ensure peaceful and credible elections.

Dr. Agordzo warned against complacency, emphasizing that the strategies used for by-elections, such as Assin North, cannot simply be scaled for a nationwide poll.

“We may pride ourselves on success in Assin North, but we don’t have the luxury of saturating the entire country with police. National elections require a completely different approach,” he explained.

He also raised concerns about the role of the National Security SWAT team, describing it as unconstitutional.

“The Constitution, in Article 202, states that no police service should be created unless by an Act of Parliament. So, where did the National SWAT come from?

“Their orientation and training lean towards a particular regime, and deploying them will not serve the cause of peace,” Dr. Agordzo argued.

Further, he highlighted the lack of proactive engagement with civil society organizations (CSOs).

“If you want peace, include CSOs and think tanks in the planning process from the start. Developing a blueprint before engaging them is counterproductive,” he remarked.

Dr. Agordzo stressed the importance of regular interaction between the National Election Security Task Force (NESTF) and the public, particularly through regional and district commanders.

“The IGP cannot be the sole voice. Commanders at all levels should engage with the media to build trust and clarify the task force’s strategies,” he advised.

As a final note, Dr. Agordzo stated the need for a clear deployment strategy and warned against last-minute preparations.

“Election security is about trust. Stakeholders must feel included, and citizens must trust the process. Anything short of that endangers the peace we all want,” he said.

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Speaking at the Peace Through Democracy forum organised by the GIMPA Law Students Association on Wednesday, he stated that police officers are not the ultimate authority at polling stations.

“We made it clear during the 2016 elections that a police officer is not the overall boss at the polling station,” Dr. Agordzo said.

“He is working under the presiding officer.” This principle, he added, helped to maintain order and prevent unnecessary confrontations during the 2016 elections.

Dr. Agordzo recounted efforts to educate officers ahead of the 2016 polls.

“We produced over 42,000 booklets for police officers, summarizing their roles and responsibilities at polling stations,” he said.

These materials served as quick reference guides to help officers stay focused on their duties.

He warned against the temptation for officers to throw their weight around, noting that such behaviour could lead to tensions with voters and other stakeholders.

“Citizens are more empowered and poised to stand up to threats this time,” he cautioned.

Dr. Agordzo also called for regular interactions between the police and the media to build public trust.

“The EC is doing theirs, but what about the National Election Security Task Force?” he asked.

“We need to see regional and district commanders engaging with the media regularly.”

Reflecting on past successes, he reiterated the importance of maintaining professionalism and neutrality.

“In 2016, we proved that elections could be peaceful without intimidating voters,” he said.

“We can achieve the same in 2024 if we stick to the principles of trust, restraint, and inclusivity.”

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According to ACP Dr. Benjamin Agordzo, a Police Planning Officer at the UN Mission Support for Justice Reform, this achievement was no accident.

Speaking at the Peace Through Democracy forum organized by the GIMPA Law Students Association on Wednesday, he outlined deliberate strategies that contributed to the election’s success.

“The 2016 general election in Ghana remains, arguably, the most peaceful in the Fourth Republic,” Dr. Agordzo said. “Not even a fly was reported to have died during the election.”

In the 2020 election, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) protested the results, describing them as “flawed” and alleging that state security forces were used to intimidate voters in their strongholds.

The National Election Security Taskforce (NESTF) reported that eight lives were lost during the 2020 general elections, with 61 recorded cases of electoral and post-electoral violence across the country, including six incidents involving gunshots.

Giving an insight into why the 2016 election had such a peaceful outcome, Dr. Agordzo stated that it was the result of systematic dialogue with stakeholders and an inclusive planning process led by the National Election Security Task Force.

A key factor was the dialogical approach adopted by the Task Force.

“We realized that a militant posture alone could not resolve crises,” Dr. Agordzo noted.

Dialogues were held with a wide range of groups, including political parties, youth groups, religious leaders, and civil society organizations.

One milestone was the Adaa Communiqué, where political parties publicly renounced violence and disassociated themselves from vigilante activities. The process was unprecedented in its scope.

“For the first time ever, systematic and well-coordinated meetings were held nationwide, involving the IGP and police leadership on one hand and stakeholders on the other,” Dr. Agordzo said.

These sessions were marked by open and frank discussions, which helped to build trust and clarify issues that could otherwise cause mistrust during the elections.

Another innovation was the extensive use of literature to educate stakeholders on peaceful elections.

“We created over 5,000 election booklets for senior security officers and 42,000 copies for every police officer deployed on duty,” he revealed.

These materials clarified the roles of police officers, emphasizing that they were subordinate to the presiding officers at polling stations.

Dr. Agordzo also highlighted the role of community policing.

“We visited churches, mosques, and communities to engage directly with citizens,” he said.

This proactive engagement fostered trust and cooperation between the police and the public.

He praised the deployment strategy, which included special police officers stationed at border areas but excluded military personnel at polling stations.

“No military officer was deployed at any polling station in 2016,” he said, adding that this approach prevented unnecessary intimidation of voters.

Dr. Agordzo attributed the success of the 2016 elections to deliberate planning, inclusivity, and trust-building.

“It didn’t just happen. It was the result of deliberate efforts,” he stressed.

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