Former Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah, has criticised the deployment of large numbers of police personnel to the Akwatia constituency for the ongoing by-election.

According to him, the security presence is disproportionate given the limited scope of the election, which involves just 119 polling stations.

“This is just a limited thing, just 119 polling stations, and look at the resources we have marshaled to Akwatia. I heard the CEO of Adams GH talking about 5,300 police. That is not the end of the story. It is the 5,300 police and the number of days they would have stayed in Akwatia... and why do we need such numbers in this modern era?” Mr. Mornah quizzed in an interview on JoyNews on Tuesday, September 2.

He questioned why such a huge number of officers should be deployed simply because citizens are exercising their democratic right to vote. “What benefit is there aside from the fact that the people of Akwatia deserve representation in Parliament?” he asked.

Again, he challenged the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to consider what a single parliamentary seat in Akwatia would mean to the party, suggesting that the stakes may not justify the extent of resources being committed.

He also questioned what winning the Akwatia seat would contribute to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) representation in Parliament, noting that it would not alter the balance of power.