Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Inspector General of Police (IGP), has warned against the culture of machoism and use of unauthorised security outfits ahead of the December elections.

“There is this culture of machoism, where people think that biceps are the basis for determining one’s strength. Fortunately, as you can see, with the things we’ve done going forward in these elections, I think most of them have advised themselves and found something to do.”

“But we are not going to be over complacent, thinking that this is the end of the game because our intelligence base shows that there are pockets of them around wanting to take things to a level that we will not tolerate.” Dr Dampare was addressing an engagement with political parties in Accra.

Also present at the event were the heads of the Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Immigration Service and other stakeholders.

He said the Police would not tolerate individuals presenting themselves in uniforms resembling those of state security agencies and assured that the Police would act decisively to maintain order and protect the rights of citizens.

“The environment where people want to use certain uniforms that make them feel half-police, half-military, or half of anything, resembling security is unacceptable in this critical period. We want you to know our position, so when we act, it’s not mistaken for bias,” he added.

Dr Dampare stressed the importance of peaceful elections and collaboration between security agencies and political actors.

He expressed gratitude for the cooperation shown by political parties so far and called for continued efforts to ensure a peaceful conclusion to the electoral process.

“Our plea is for us to finish and finish very well, to the glory of God and for the benefit of this country, especially for the generation that will come after us. It is in the same spirit that we are also committed to showing our patriotism by ensuring this election is peaceful and to the satisfaction of everybody,” he noted.

The IGP underscored the police’s strategy of transparency and frequent engagement to build trust and mitigate potential misinformation.

He emphasised the importance of open communication between the police and political parties, highlighting the distribution of contact information for police leadership at national, regional, and constituency levels.

This initiative, he said, was aimed at fostering swift resolution of misunderstandings and prevent the escalation of disputes.

Dr. Dampare reiterated the police’s commitment to professionalism, fairness, and firmness in their operations.

He urged political parties to carry the message of peace and cooperation to their supporters, emphasising the shared responsibility of ensuring a violence-free election.

The IGP expressed appreciation for the orderly conduct exhibited thus far and called for continued collaboration to uphold Ghana’s democratic values.

“Let us carry this spirit of orderliness and nonviolence to the end. Together, we can make this election a proud moment in our democratic history,” he said.

Political parties present at the engagement; the New Patriotic Party(NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), All People’s Congress (APC) and Convention People’s Party(CPP), pledged to uphold the rule of law and cooperate with the Police before, during and after the December elections.