The opposition party says security, traffic and hostel protection are covered as thousands of delegates arrive in the Ashanti Region for its national elections.
Between 3,000 and 4,000 police officers have been deployed in Kumasi to provide security for the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) National Delegates Conference and national internal elections, according to the party's own organisers.
Anthony Abayifaa Karbo, who chairs the NPP's Organisation Committee, gave the figure in an interview with Citi News, reported by MyJoyOnline. He said the officers would handle traffic control, guard the hostels where delegates and guests are lodging, and secure both the perimeter and the interior of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, the venue for the conference.
What is happening on Saturday
The conference was scheduled for Saturday, October 3, when delegates of the NPP — currently Ghana's main opposition party — vote to fill national positions within the party. The National Delegates Conference is the party's highest decision-making gathering and brings together delegates from across all regions.
Mr Karbo said preparations were "far advanced" by the eve of the vote, with delegates already arriving in Kumasi and checking into the hostels assigned to them. Public address systems were being installed at the stadium, he said, while police had already taken up positions around the grounds.
Praise for the police
The committee chairman thanked the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the head of the Ghana Police Service, and the Ashanti Regional Police Command for working with the party ahead of the event.
"The IGP has been fantastic so far," Mr Karbo said, adding that the regional command had been cooperative in putting the deployment together.
He also said the aspirants contesting the various positions had behaved well throughout the process and had cooperated with organisers. He appealed to delegates to conduct themselves responsibly so the conference could end without incident.
"We're very much ready for tomorrow," he said of the arrangements.
Why the security numbers matter
Internal party elections in Ghana draw large crowds into a single venue, and tensions between rival camps have in the past spilled over at such gatherings. A deployment in the thousands signals that organisers expect heavy foot traffic and vehicle congestion in central Kumasi, where the Baba Yara Sports Stadium sits.
For Ghanaians in the United States and elsewhere following the party's affairs from a distance, the Kumasi conference is a key step in the NPP's rebuilding after leaving government. The officers elected at a national delegates conference steer the party machinery heading into the next national election cycle.
Mr Karbo said the party was committed to making sure the day ran smoothly. Results and any disputes arising from the vote will be handled by the party's internal structures once balloting ends.
