THE PEOPLE of Bawku in the Upper East Region of Ghana have charged the Electoral Commission (EC) to rescind decision carry out its limited registration exercise only at the district capitals.
Bawku is facing a chronic tribal conflict which government is struggling to handle; meanwhile the ‘insensitive’ EC Boss, Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensah and her deputies who are aware of the situation turned blind eye on it. And went ahead to announce that 12 to 02 september 2023 starts the registration of voters who turn 18 years and above only at their 278 district capitals across country.
Prior to the announcement, the stakeholders – political parties present at the last IPAC meeting contested the position of EC to centralise its limited registration at their district capital. EC initially agreed to consider the decision, however they went ahead to announce dates within 24 hours ignoring observations raised.
Despite that, the qualified persons without either Ghana Card or Passport are expected to come along with two other people both having either the Ghana Card or Passport to guarantee for that new registrants.
This move was a deliberate attempt for voter suppression planned by the President Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo to enable his party, NPP to hold on to power for more hardship.
The Electoral Commission under the ruling NPP is turned into “Ministry of Elections” with Mrs Adukwei Mensah as the Minister with deputies, who takes policy directions from the appointing authorities.
The EC office is office is located on the ground floor of the Bawku Municipal Assembly which is located in a Kusasi enclave. And this would favour some young persons and would not be safe for a number of others to go and register due to the conflict.
Young persons belonging or aligned to the Mamprusi tribes can not go to Daduri in Kusasi enclave to register for their voters’ ID cards.
To this, the people of Bawku Municipality are calling on EC Boss, Madam Jean Adukwei Mensah and deputies, to decentralise the registration exercise in the Bawku Municipality to make it safe for all persons of voting age to register.
Source:Nationaltymes.com
