NORTHERN REGION WILL OVERCOME SECURITY CHALLENGES — IDRIS (PAGE 16)

THE Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris has expressed optimism that inspite of some security challenges the region faced in the run up to the December polls, the area would eventually pass the test in the elections.
‘‘We have passed similar tests in the past; and we should be able to pass this one too irrespective of the fact the elections this year promises to be keenly contested,’’ he indicated.
The minister observed that with the current high level of public education and ongoing sensitisation programmes to the need for peaceful elections at various districts and communities in the region by the media and other stakeholders, the people would comport themselves for a successful polls.
Alhaji Idris was speaking during a courtesy call on him by some members of the European Union election observation mission in Ghana at The Residency in Tamale.
They were led by the British High Commissioner in Ghana, Nicholas Westcott.
The mission aims at undertaking a comprehensive assessment of the election process to enhance public confidence in the process and to deter fraud, strengthen respect for human rights and also contribute to conflict resolution.
The mission that is made up of seven experts and 24 long term observers are in the country through the invitation of the Electoral Commission and have been deployed to all the ten regions in the country.
According to Alhaji Idris, the intense campaigns going on at all areas of the region were being conducted peacefully without any major incident.
The minister gave the total number of combined security forces in the region as 1,400 which, he said, was inadequate considering the size and the 2,043 polling stations in the area.
‘‘We are however working hard to maintain the prevailing peace in the mist of the difficulties we encounter with the limited security numbers.’’
The High Commissioner for his part stressed the need for fairness and impartiality in the electoral process by all stakeholders.
He pledged the continuous support of the British government towards the peaceful conduct of the general election in Ghana.
Mr Westcott explained that the EU mission team will stay in the country during and after the elections and that its findings will be reported to their headquarters.