Armed Forces denies relocation of gadgets to intimidate voters in Volta, Oti regions

The Ghana Armed Forces says claims that it has relocated some of its military equipment from the national capital to the Volta and Oti Regions to suppress voters in the area on Election Day are untrue.

It follows the circulation of social media audio alleging that the security agency intends to intimate residents.

“The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) finds it necessary to respond to two messages on social media which impinge on its professional integrity. One is an audio recording and the other a written statement. They both make unfounded commentaries on the GAF which need to be corrected. The audio recording by an unidentified male voice, alleges the re-location of “gadgets” from Accra to Ho with the aim of intimidating the people of the Volta and Oti Regions in collaboration with a neighbouring country. The fact of the matter is that the GAF has deployed to all the Regions of Ghana in connection with the 2020 General Elections. The deployment is in support of the Ghana Police Service and this is standard practice. There is no other motive”, the statement clarified.

In the statement signed by its Public Relations Director,  Conolel E. Aggrey Quashie, the Armed Forces also distanced itself from a purported statement from a group known as “Concerned Officers of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service” which alleged a grand scheme by the military to make use of vigilantes to cause disruptions in the electoral process.

“The second is a statement by a purported “Concerned Officers of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service”. This piece is a catalogue of falsehood and fabrications with no scintilla of truth in them. Among the allegations are that vigilantes are embedded in the GAF and that there is a planned “coordinated ground offensive” from the eastern border on the night of 6th December. This might either be an orchestration or a planted story to cause alarm among the local population.”

Authorities have therefore urged all ranks of the service to be diligent in their duties to ensure credible and transparent polls as the deployment of the security agents is part of their mandate.

“All Ranks of the GAF are hereby implored to go about their duties with their usual focus and determination, to ensure the success of the elections. The general public must also feel free to cast their ballots when the polls open on 7 December 2020,” the statement concluded.