Kofi Ampeah Woode
As a sequel to the Election Violence Security Course commenced by a collaboration between the Federal Government of Germany and the Kofi Annan international Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), has been held in Kumasi, in preparing Ghana’s Security Services towards less violence in the country’s 9th General Elections scheduled for December 7, 2024.
The second edition was held at the Miklin Hotel, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, from Monday 10 to Friday June 14, 2024, with the Guest of Honour being the German Ambassador to Ghana – His Excellency (HE) Daniel Krull, assisted by the Training Director, KAIPTC – Colonel Anorph Barnabas Akanbong, and Chief Superintendent of Police (C/Supt) Christopher Owusu-Mpianim, who represented the Ashanti Regional Police Commander.
Institutions of Participants were the Ghana Police, Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Immigration Service, and Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Service.
HE Daniel Krull, in his speech said, the changing roles of policing, resulting from the emergence of asymmetric conflicts and security challenges confronting Africa, and its emergence has a great potential of undermining the consolidation of democracy in many states.
He asserted that issues of fragile and failed states, are the direct consequences of factors, such as weak state structures, which are unable to support the smooth functioning of a system of bad governance, and that the United Nations in its peacebuilding efforts, seems to be focused on the reformation of the Security sector of these countries.
The Electoral Violence and Security course, he said, takes prime position in the consolidation of peace and stability, with an overall goal to contribute to a peaceful and safe Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Ghana, in December 2024.
This course enhances the capacity of law enforcement agencies in the prevention, management of potential or perceived electoral violence situations, and further seeks to update information and fundamental understanding of the roles of relevant security agencies, and other stakeholders, in the management of the electoral process, he stated.
C/Supt C. Owusu-Mpianim urged the participants of the course, to harness and draw the knowledge gained, to effectively enhance their capacities to prevent or manage potential or perceived electoral violence situations before, during and after Ghana’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
The KAIPTC, sponsored by the German Government, commenced the 5-day Elections Violence Security Course on Friday June 7 2024, for Ghana’s security personnel of the ranks of Major or Assistant Superintendent or its equivalent, or Officers with command roles in the country’s upcoming General Elections in December 2024.
The course, programmed to be administered in 3 phases, zoning the country into three parts – Southern, Middle and Northern – will have the last edition held in Tamale, in the Northern Region of Ghana, from Monday 17 to Friday 21 June, 2024.
It takes participants through the contextual appreciation of Recent Electoral Violence Trends; Elections Cycles and Election security; Gender, Human Rights and Elections Security; Threat Assessment, Intelligence Management and Early Warning; Community Policing and Election Security; Leadership and Election Security.
Present at the course included the Course Director – C/Supt Evelyn Edem Agbittor, and Course Facilitators.
