The National Security Advisor, Brigadier-General Nunoo Mensah, has asked the security and law enforcement agencies to be neutral in the upcoming district level and the national general elections to maintain peace in the country. "Your allegiance should be to the state and not any political party, knowing well that the peace of the country largely lies on you," he said in remarks during the launch of a Joint National Task Force to oversee the upcoming district level elections. Brigadier-General Nunoo-Mensah's comment comes in the wake of the political upheaval in Cote d'Ivoire which has left the country with two presidents. The task force comprising heads of all the security and law enforcement agencies in the country, is among other things, tasked to mobilise the human, material and financial resources that will be required for effective policing, during and after the elections scheduled for Tuesday, December 28. It is also to provide security and protection for election officials, electoral materials and the electorate, as well as safeguard the integrity of the electioneering process. Obviously worried about the simmering political tensions threatening the peace in the sub-region, he said the security and law enforcement agencies had critical roles to play in maintaining peace in the country through ensuring peaceful elections. Citing the Akwatia by-election as a precursor of the danger ahead of the country in the 2012 election, Brigadier-General Nunoo-Mensah said "Ghana will remain like it is today if our security agencies will become neutral during the elections." He therefore asked them to ensure that the district level elections were done peacefully without any rancor, saying "if we succeed in the district level elections, we will also succeed in the 2012 elections." Against this backdrop, Brigadier-General Nunoo-Mensah, advised the security personnel not to be influenced by money and also avoid acts which would impugn on their professional integrity, stressing "they should hold their uniform in high esteem." Turning the focus on the political parties, the National Security Advisor told them to bring some civility in the electioneering process, saying "life does not end after leaving office or losing power." For his part, the Minister of the Interior, Martin Amidu, said it was the responsibility of the security agencies,to ensure that the process of deepening constitutional democracy was effectively achieved by ensuring that people exercised their franchise in an orderly and secured environment. He reminded them to play their role during the elections within the strict parameters of the law. "No officer deployed for any assignment at any electoral area or polling station should under any circumstance be seen or perceived to be championing partisan courses," Mr Amidu warned, adding "you must remain professional and perform your duties in a fair and firm manner." The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Alhassan, in his remarks said national elections, for all intent and purposes, were important national exercises where breaches of the peace and consequent security implications could be occasioned. In this regard, he said, it was therefore, necessary to put in place appropriate security measures to ensure orderliness and safety. Mr Alhassan appealed to election officials to provide the requisite resources on schedule to avoid last minute inconveniences. He assured that the security and the law enforcement agencies would ensure that the district level elections were held peacefully and also will ensure it was free and fair. The country will hold elections on December 28 to elect assembly and unit committee members. Source: Times