The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Yohuno Tetteh, has announced that more than 23,000 police officers will be deployed nationwide to provide security for the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer election scheduled for January 31, 2026.
According to the IGP, a minimum of 70 police officers will be stationed at each polling centre across the country to ensure a peaceful and orderly exercise.
“We are assuring you that at least seventy is the least number of policemen that will be at each polling station,” he stated.
With 333 polling stations nationwide and an estimated 211,000 delegates expected to participate in the election, the total deployment will amount to 23,310 police personnel.
Mr Tetteh explained that the security arrangement will involve a three-tier deployment strategy, comprising inner, middle, and outer security perimeters, with the outer deployment heavily reinforced.
“All senior officers are going to be at the polling stations. We will have the inner deployment, the middle deployment, and then the outer deployment. The outer deployment is heavily loaded,” he added.
The IGP made these remarks on Thursday, January 22, in Accra, during the peace pact signing ceremony by the five candidates contesting the party’s leadership.
He emphasised that the extensive security measures are aimed at guaranteeing a violence-free and orderly election, adding that special attention is being given to areas with existing security concerns.
In this regard, the IGP disclosed that military support has been requested for the Bawku enclave, citing ongoing local tensions in the area.
“We have gone through all the preparations, over and over again, and we are ready to go to the field—except for Bawku. That is the area that we may need the support of the military, and so we have written to the Interior Minister to inform the Minister of Defence so that we have military support in Bawku,” he said.
