The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is calling on the Inspector General of Police and the Chairman of the Electoral Commission to clear the air on how a 40,000 personnel election task force was constituted to ensure a peaceful district level election set to take place on the 28th of December, 2010. In a statement signed by the NPP General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, the party is seeking an explanation to how authorities selected the 40, 000 personnel task force who are being deployed to maintain law and order during the upcoming District level elections. The statement said "compared to the total strength of the various security agencies namely: The Ghana Police, Army, Prisons, Fire and Immigration Services, an exercise of such magnitude could cripple the maintenance of law and order within the country." The party went on to ask questions about whether civilians will be a part of the exercise and what criteria will be adopted in the recruitment process? As well as who qualifies and the requirements used to select the personnel. "We ask these questions to forestall eminent politicisation of the noble idea of a task force such as this. Elections are a very significant process in our democratic dispensation and as a political party though the District level elections are to be non partisan, it is our duty to make sure that the exercise is conducted in a free and fair manner," the statement said. The party reiterated the fact that Ghana's electoral processes in recent months have been characterised by violence and intimidation, adding "there have been reports of foot soldier training activities around the country for electoral purposes which we find dangerous to our fledgling democracy." The statement therefore urged "the authorities, the Ghana Police Service and other agencies as well as the Electoral Commission" to be informed by the issues raised so as to have credible District level elections across the country. Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana