TIG Post

Tag: voters register

  • ‘The good people of Ghana will judge our performance’ – Jean Mensa to critics

    In my law class 30 years ago, one of the profound doctrines was the Latin expression “Res ispa loquitur,” which means the thing speaks for it self; and on that premise, we will leave the good people of Ghana to judge our performance.

    These were the words of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Jean Mensa, as she responded to a question on how the Commission would rate its performance in the just ended mass voter registration exercise.

    She was speaking at the eighth edition of the Let the Citizens Know series, a platform created by the EC to engage citizens on the electoral process.

    The Commission had projected to register 15 million eligible Ghanaians in the 38-day mass registration exercise, but exceeded that target after registering 16,663,669 at the end of the registration on Thursday, August 6.

    With a mop-up registration scheduled to take place at the various offices of the Commission on Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9, the figure will shoot up.

    Giving that the move by the EC to compile a new register ahead of the December 7, 2020 polls had been met with resistance by some political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs); and that the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) scourge had been an issue of grave concern, many had little or no hope in the ability of the Commission carry out the exercise.

    It therefore, came as refreshing news for the Commission to have scaled that challenge.

    And on that solid foundation, Mrs Mensa, reiterated that the successful completion of the mass voter registration exercise was just the beginning of many other transparent processes the EC had put in place for a credible and fair election.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • EC registers 16.6 million voters

    The Electoral Commission (EC) has registered a total of 16,663,699 voters as of the end of the mass voters registration exercise on Thursday, August 6, 2020.

    The commission made this known at its 8th edition of the Let the Citizens Know series, a platform created by the EC to engage citizens on the electoral process, reports Graphic Online’s Timothy Ngnenbe who was at the meeting.

    The Commission had projected to register 15 million eligible Ghanaians in the 38-day mass registration exercise, but exceeded that target after registering 16,663,669 at the end of the registration on Thursday, August 6, 2020.

    With a mop-up registration scheduled to take place at the various offices of the Commission on Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9, the figure will shoot up.

    The EC’s move to compile a new register ahead of the December 7, 2020 polls had been met with resistance by some political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs).

    Aside that the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) scourge had been an issue of grave concern and many had little or no hope in the ability of the Commission to carry out the exercise.

    It therefore, comes as refreshing news for the Commission to have scaled that challenge.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • 16.6 million captured in voter registration exercise

    The Electoral Commission (EC) registered 16,663,699 persons during the mass voters registration exercise.

    These figures from the commission are provisional.

    “As at 6th August, 2020 the Commission had registered a total of 16,663,669 (provisional figures) nationwide. Since the last briefing the four top regions have maintained their positions though the Greater Accra region has especially lost some grounds in percentage terms from 21.34 % to 20.8% of the total registered.  The Ashanti region also reduced marginally by 0.1% to its current 17.9%,” the commission announced at a briefing.

    “Both the Eastern and the Central regions have maintained their previous 9.6% and 9.3% respectively. Among the remaining regions, the following have increased in percentage terms- Western, Western North, Upper West, Northern, and Upper East- and the following have maintained their percentages- Ahafo, Bono, Bono East, Oti, North East, and Savanna. Only the Volta region reduced in percentage terms in this group.”

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Police hunt for eight hooligans for assaulting registration officials, others

    The Police at Ajumako-Beseasi in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District of the Central Region have mounted an intensive search for eight hooligans suspected to have assaulted three registration officials and one resident in the area.

    The dreaded hoodlums, wielding cutlasses, guns and other offensive weapons, physically assaulted the three people at the Christ Apostolic Church Voters Registration Centre at Ajumako-Beseasi, creating fear and panic among the applicants.

    Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Irene Serwaah Oppong, the Central Regional Police Public Relations Officer, who confirmed the attack on Thursday, gave the assurance that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to book to deter others.

    She said on Wednesday, August 5, at the said Registration Centre, Mr Kwabena Seidu, a registrant, reported to the police at about 1400 hours of physical assault on him by a group of men numbering about 15.

    Seidu alleged that he was attacked together with seven others.

    He said in the course of the unprovoked attack, the thugs caused severe damage to the tent hosting the EC registration officials among other things.

    They also threatened to cause mayhem if the exercise was not discontinued.

    Thereafter, the registration officials proceeded to the police station to make an official complaint and police reinforcement was sent to the centre to maintain law and order.

    DSP Oppong said all the eight persons assaulted were given police medical forms to seek treatment and assured that the police had mounted a search and investigations into the matter to arrest the perpetrators.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Four non-residents grabbed for attempting to register

    Four non-residents have been arrested for attempting to register for voter card at the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly registration centre on Thursday, in Accra.

    This follows the vigilance of the Municipal Chief Executive Sandra Owusu- Ahenkorah and members of the municipal security team, who saw the culprits attempting to register even though they do not reside in the area.

    One of them, who had already registered, had the voter identity card (ID) seized after the suspects confessed that they did not reside in the area, but had come from Kpong Katamanso.

    They were arrested and handed over to the Tesano police (their names are being withheld pending further investigations).

    The MCE told the Ghanaian Times that, she received reports that one Adams was assisting non-residents to register.

    Madam Owusu-Ahenkorah said when she arrived at the premises of the assembly, she saw the suspects in a queue, and when they were quizzed, they said they live at Roman Ridge, but could not mention the house number or the name of their landlords.

    She said the four confessed that they came from Kpone Katamanso, but because they were encountering difficulties, they decided to try elsewhere.

    The MCE said they were apprehended by the security personnel at the centre and handed over to the police.

    The Tesano District Police Commander, Superintendent George Atia, who confirmed the arrest, and said the ID card of the one who had already registered had been seized and would be invited by the Electoral Commission EC to defend his action.

    Supt Atia said the suspects indicated that they hail from Blekusu in the Keta municipality of the Volta Region, and had been staying at Kpone Katamanso and occasionally work as labourers for their uncle, who is a mason.

    He said that “ investigations are ongoing while they have been granted bail and expected to report to the police every morning till investigations are concluded”.

     

    Source: Ghanaian Times

  • Two foreigners jailed for acquiring Ghana voter card

    Two foreign nationals were sentenced to two years each in prison by the Keta Circuit Court for unlawful acquisition of the Ghana Voter Identity (ID) card.

    The two, Okafor Wale, a 47-year-old Nigerian and Yao Dieu-Donne Evoda, a 22-year-old Togolese, were each convicted on charges of registering for Ghana Voter ID card when not qualified and a prohibited immigrant.

    Evoda was slapped with an additional charge of abetment of crime.

    Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Obrako Sarpong Bempah, the Aflao Police Commander, said the convicts, who lived in the country for over ten years, managed to get people to vouch for them to register for the card on July 10.

    He said the Togolese first got Ghanaian neighbours to vouch for him as an eligible applicant to acquire the card and he later got one person in addition to himself and convinced the Nigerian he lived in the same house to also register.

    Mr Bempah said the Nigerian after acquiring the card tried to cross over the border through an unapproved route at ‘Beat 11’ in Aflao and was arrested by an Immigration officer, who he tried to beg using the Ghana Voter card as his trump card.

    The Police Commander said upon interrogation, he confessed his nationality and mentioned his Togolese accomplice.

    They were arrested and subsequently handed over to the Police for action.

    “We sent them to court on July 13. The second appearance was on July 27 on which day the court took their plea and deferred pronouncement on the case to July 30. They got two years each on all the counts which run concurrently,” he said

     

    Source: GNA

  • Voter registration exercise: EC mops-up Saturday, Sunday

    The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced a two-day mop-up registration exercise for eligible Ghanaians who will not be able to register in the mass registration of voters which ends today.

    The mop-up exercise will be undertaken at the various district offices of the EC across the country on Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9.

    The acting Director of Public Affairs of the EC, Mrs Sylvia Annoh, who made this known to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, said the decision to do a mop-up after the main registration was to ensure that no eligible applicant was left out of the national exercise.

    Mop-up

    During the sixth edition of the Let the Citizens Know series held on July 27, the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Jean Mensa, indicated that the commission would do a mop-up exercise at selected areas on need basis.

    She had said the exercise would not be a blanket one because some registration centres had lower population of registrants.

    The EC chairperson had also stated that the commission would rely on information from its field officers in deciding on centres that would benefit from the mop-up exercise.

    New decision

    However, Mrs Annoh stated that the number of eligible applicants who presented themselves to be registered at the various registration centres had gone down drastically in the last phase of the exercise across the country.

    “We have studied the situation and seen that most of the queues at the registration centres have diminished. In some of the centres, our officers sit the whole day and register only 12 persons,” she said.

    The EC Public Affairs director urged eligible applicants who were not able to register during the mass registration exercise to take advantage of the mop-up and register in order to be captured on the voters register.

    Responding to a question on how the registration would be done at the district offices, she said applicants would be assigned to polling stations of their choice within the constituency.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Voter registration: Applicants given two-day grace period

    The Electoral Commission (EC) says it will organise a two-day mop up exercise for eligible applicants to register for their voter identity cards.

    The exercise is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 8, and Sunday, August 9, respectively.

    This follows the completion of the nationwide voter registration exercise Thursday, August 6, 2020 as earlier indicated by the EC.

    “A mop-up of the Registration Exercise will be held on Saturday, the 8th of August, 2020 and Sunday, the 9th of August, 2020 at the District Offices of the Electoral Commission across the country,” a statement from the Commission said on Wednesday.

    Eligible applicants who wish to register would have to visit the district offices of EC within their districts to be registered, the commission further stated.

     

    Source: angelonline.com.gh

  • Prof Opoku-Agyemang registered as a voter

    Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the Running Mate of the Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the December 7 General Election, has successfully registered as a voter

    A statement issued by the NDC Campaign Team, which was copied to the Ghana News Agency, on Wednesday stated: “May I implore all those who are yet to register to kindly do so, particularly, as we approach the end point of the voters registration exercise.” Prof Opoku-Agyemang is quoted as saying.

    “I still believe it is possible to register eligible Ghanaians without the violence, intimidation and blatant discrimination that has characterized the current exercise. We are better than this.”

     

    Source: GNA

  • John Mahama registers for voter ID card

    The flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, today acquired his voter Identification card at a registration centre at Bole in the Savannah Region, to enable him partake in the upcoming elections on December 7.

    John Dramani Mahama who was received by a large crowd, called on Ghanaians to endeavour to acquire their voter’s identification cards to enable them vote come December 7.

    Addressing the media on the sidelines, former president, John Dramani Mahama said, the recent incidents of violence reported in the ongoing registration is a deliberate attempt by the Akufo-Addo government to remain in power, he therefore urged Ghanaians to come out in their numbers to register so they will kick out the NPP.

    The former President is expected to spend four more days in the region as he will be visiting some registration centres and communities in the Savanna, Northern, Oti and Volta Regions.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Voter card: One Nigerian jailed, 5 others being prosecuted for registering EC

    A Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Bossman Eric Asare, has revealed that a Nigerian has been successfully prosecuted and jailed by Ghanaian authorities for registering for the voter ID card in the near-ending registration exercise being undertaken by the Electoral Commission of Ghana.

    Also, five other Nigerians are being prosecuted for the same crime.

    Addressing journalists in Accra on Monday, 3 August 2020, Dr Bossman Asare warned Ghanaians who guarantee for foreigners to desist from doing so because the law will come after them.

    He explained that applicants who wish to register but do not have a passport or Ghana card can use the guarantor system, adding that a registered voter can guarantee for, at most 10 applicants.

    “According to CI 126 (Regulation 1), guaranteeing for more than 10 applicants is unlawful. Guarantors should, therefore, desist from such an act”, he noted.

    Also, Dr Asare noted, “Guarantors should make sure they know the nationalities of the applicants they are guaranteeing for”.

    “In the event those you guarantee for are not qualified, guarantors will also be held accountable for perjury”, he warned.

    “Do not guarantee for strangers. The details of guarantors are captured in our database, so, it is important that you know the persons you are guaranteeing for”, he cautioned.

    He noted that foreigners are prohibited from taking part in the registration exercise.

    “We have noticed disturbing reports since last week (phase 5) where Ghanaians, who have registered, will front for people of other nationalities to register. These are largely concentrated in border towns but there are some in other places, too.

    “It is a crime to guarantee for foreigners to register and vote. Again, if you are a guarantor, it is incumbent on you to know the nationalities of the people you are guaranteeing for”, he stressed.

    “Foreigners who are caught trying to register will be prosecuted”, he warned.

    “An example is the Nigerian who was arrested and sentenced on Wednesday, 29 July 2020 by the Kaneshie District Court to a six-month imprisonment with hard labour for attempting to register at the Swag Club House in the Ablekuma West District.

    “The Police are searching for the two guarantors who filled the form to guarantee for him.

    “We understand they are on the run. Nonetheless, their names are with the Police. We will also discuss with our Lawyers to know what actions the Commission can take against the two guarantors”, he noted.

    Additionally, he said: “We also know of five Nigeriens who have made their first appearance at the same court for attempting to register and thus acquire the voter ID card”.

    The EC Deputy Chair urged political parties and their activists to “desist from encouraging foreigners to take part in the registration exercise”.

    “We are equally beseeching our registration officials to ensure that all those they attend to qualify to register under the 1992 Republican Constitution (Article 42) and CI 91(Regulation 1(1a)). If you are a foreigner stay away from the registration centres”.

     

    Source: Class FM

  • Krachi East: Registration Review Committee disqualifies Assemblyman

    The District Registration Review Committee (DRRC) has disqualified Anthony Ayitey, the Assemblyman for Kwame Akura West Electoral Area in the Krachi East Constituency of the Oti Region, for alleged provision of false information during the voter registration process.

    By this verdict, Ayitey would not participate in the forthcoming general elections.

    The DRRC is made up of representatives of political parties, Ghana Education Service, Ghana Police Service, traditional leaders and the Electoral Commission and tasked to deal with issues concerning the registration exercise.

    Mr Ayitey, a resident of Tumponja under Krachi Nchumuru District, had his eligibility challenged by Mr Kingsley Okonengye, a party agent of the New Patriotic Party when he went to the Krachi East Constituency to register.

    Mr Bebako Mensah, the Chairman of the Committee, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the Assemblyman in an attempt to prove his eligibility took members of the Committee to a residential address he provided at Dambai “Canna,” which turned out to be false as nobody knew him at such an address.

    By the electoral laws, one can only be registered when he or she resided in a particular community over twelve months and nothing fewer warrants disqualification.

    Ayitey conceded the disqualification when contacted by the GNA and admitted he was challenged for unlawful registration and consequently banned.

     

    Source: www.gna.org.gh

  • Only names of Ghanaians must be on voters register – EC

    Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, on Monday said eligible voters must be Ghanaians and not foreigners.

    She said the onus was on Ghanaians to draw the attention of security agencies and the registration officials for the necessary action to be taken to protect the integrity of the voters register.

    Mrs Mensa, speaking at the Seventh Edition of “Let the Citizen Know” series in Accra, appealed to the security agencies to be vigilant.

    “You cannot go to Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso to register and vote,” she said.

    She said Ghanaians had the responsibility to ensure that eligible voters who had the privilege to vote were citizens of Ghana who qualified to vote and not citizens from neighbouring countries.

    Mrs Mensa gave the assurance that the EC would take the necessary steps to expunge the names of foreigners from the register to ensure that only Ghanaians had their names on the electoral roll.

    She reiterated the Commission’s resolve to compile a clean and credible register for which it would explore all means to do so.

    She thanked the media for their interest and support for the successful conduct of the exercise.

    Dr Bossman Eric Asare, EC Deputy Chairman in charge of Corporate Services, said: “We have noticed disturbing reports since last week where Ghanaians who have registered will front for people of other nationalities to register. These are largely concentrated in border towns but there are some in other places too.”

    “It is a crime to guarantee for foreigners to register and vote.”

     

    Source: GNA

  • Otumfuo and wife Lady Julia register for new voters ID card

    The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, together with his wife, Lady Julia Osei Tutu, on Monday registered and obtained new voters identity cards in the ongoing mass voters registration exercise.

    They registered at the polling station located in forecourt of the Manhyia Palace.

    Led by his Chief of Staff, Mr Kofi Badu, Otumfuo was accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei Mensah, and the Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

    Also present was the Chief Executive of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng.

    Registration

    It took Otumfuo and the wife barely 15 minuets to go through the registration process, and were immediately issued with their voter identification cards.

    As usual, Otumfuo and the wife were assisted to undertake the COVID-19 protocol of washing of hands with soap under running water, body temperature check before they were admitted to the registration area to go through the process.

    The process was under the supervision of Mr Benjamin Bano-Bio, the Ashanti Regional Director of EC and his deputy, Mrs Dina Osei Asibey Frimpong.

     

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • Phase-six of voters registration exercise underway

    The Phase Six of the ongoing voters registration exercise, which is the last phase, has recorded low turnout at various centres in the Ablekuma West Constituency of the Greater Accra Region.

    The Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed that there were few applicants at centres such as the Apostolic Church SSNT Flat and Mount Olivet Dansoman One and Two when it visited on Monday.

    It also noted that applicants and officials were in face shield and nose masks and observing the COVID-19 protocols.

    In an interview with the GNA, Mr Samuel Armah, Registration Officer at the Apostolic Church Centre, said most electorates registered at other centres during the initial phases of the exercise.

    He said 74 applicants had registered between Saturday and Monday when the last phase began and though not encouraging, he was hopeful that all those yet to register would endeavour to do so in the coming days.

    Madam Kate Mensah, Registration Officer at Mount Olivet, Dansoman one and Two centres, said her team had been there for two weeks and had registered about 489 applicants.

    She said the voters register would be exhibited from September 11 to 18, adding that 600 registrants were expected to vote at a particular centre during the elections.

    Source: GNA

  • Heated arguments rock voters Registration Review Committee sittings in Dormaa Central

    The work of the District Registration Review Committee (DRRC) in the Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region, has been characterised with disagreements, political colourisation, heated arguments and controversies.

    The Committee has been mandated to examine challenges related to voters registration and determine whether the challenge should be upheld or rejected.

    Angry, unsatisfied, disappointed and disgruntled applicants and their accomplices threatened and invoked curses on the Committee and their challengers, alleging they were NPP officials who have been deliberately appointed to plot to disenfranchise potential NDC voters in the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

    Two of the applicants who issued threats were whisked to Police custody and have been granted bail.

    Some of the Constituency Executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Party who were spotted at the vicinity and some of the applicants disrupted proceedings of the Committee with near brawl incident when verbal confrontations, disagreements ensued with members of the NPP at the Committee’s sittings held at the Department of Cooperatives Office Building.

    The Committee raised a number of concerns including the rejection of Ghana Card as the basis or evidence for registering applicants, whether or not party agents were allowed to challenge one’s eligibility during the Ghana Card registration exercise and language barrier in communicating to committee members.

    Although the Committee had accepted and approved some applicant’s eligibility having subjected them through thorough interrogations, both party faithfuls and applicants questioned why it refused to accept the explanation of those applicants who had both parents born and bred in Ghana, but whose children had farmlands in Cote d’Ivoire territory.

    Mr Kwadjo Damoah Afari, the Chairman of the Committee declined to comment on the matter.

    Mr Gordon Asubonteng, the aspiring NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Dormaa Central and former Municipal Chief Executive for Dormaa Central Municipality, who is one of the top ranking members of the Party, noted that there was the need to approach and address issues on the basis of level of competency rather than one’s political affiliation.

    The aspiring MP later held a meeting with members of the Committee to find ways to address sticking challenges and ensure calm and peace.

    Mr Anane Yaw Kwarteng, the Assembly Member for Danyame Electoral Area, accused the Committee members of being bias towards the NPP and deliberately scheming to delay and denying about 60 applicants most of whom were NDC supporters and residents of Danyame, a stronghold of the NDC a fair hearing.

    Some of the applicants had travelled from distant locations such as Dabaabi, Asunsu Number One, Tronang, Kwameasua, included mothers with babies and pregnant women who had reported at 0090 hours when sitting started and waited through till 1700hours when it ended.

    They complained that they were denied the opportunity to face the Committee due to time constraint and were rescheduled for the next day, while others were asked to seek appeal at the Sunyani High Court.

    The applicants described the process as a waste of time and resources for one to travel a long distance to attend to hearing.

    Ms Nameta Kramo, 22, said she was given a hearing but was disqualified as she failed to produce documents to support claims that she was a Ghanaian and was ask by the Committee to seek an appeal at the Sunyani High Court.

    Another applicant, Mr Gideon Kambire, a cashew farmer in Kukoa and wife after being disqualified, loudly protested the Committee’s decision outside forcing its Chairman, the Municipal Police Commander and other party representatives on the Committee to come out of the building to calm tensions down.

    Mr Francis Owiredu, the Municipal Electoral Officer, debunked claims that the Committee members were selected on partisan consideration.

    “Members of the Committee include a representative from each registered and active political party, the District Police Commander or his/her representative, a Representative of the Traditional Council and the District Electoral Officer serving as Secretary to the Committee,” he added.

    Mr Kwadjo Asare, the Deputy NDC Youth Constituency Chairman, told the Ghana News Agency they may seek legal redress as a vital step to resolve some of these outstanding matters.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Voters registration: NDC curses Tepa MCE for denying members from registering

    The Municipal Chief Executive Officer for Ahafo Ano North, Hon. Martina Appiah-Nyantakyi has incurred the wrath of members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) after she was accused of masterminding the disqualification of thousands of supporters of their party from registering in the ongoing exercise.

    Supporters of the party publicly invoked curses on the MCE, whom they said, clandestinely worked with the Electoral Commission to deny several of their supporters from registering.

    Reports available indicate that hundreds of supporters of the biggest opposition party were not issued their registration cards after failing to prove their eligibility during a challenging process.

    A heated argument ensued on Wednesday after the MCE reportedly refused to allow the General Secretary of the NDC, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, from taking part in a meeting held by the EC Committee to adjudicate cases brought before it by interested parties.

    After being disqualified in the process for failing to establish their eligibility as voters within the constituency, members of the opposition party reportedly resorted to curses, invoking powerful river deities to strike the MCE whom they accused of being the mastermind behind a scheme to disenfranchise members of the NDC in the Ahafo North Constituency.

    According to information, a high powered delegation led by the NDC General Secretary thronged the constituency, ostensibly to bulldoze their way through, as the party launches bid to recapture the seat it lost to the NPP in the 2016 general elections.

    They, however, met their match in the MCE who stood her grounds, insisting that the EC Committee be allowed to do their independent work without any interference.

    However, the NDC leadership believes Hon. Martina used her position to influence the outcome of the challenging process, culminating in the disqualification of many potential registrants believed to be affiliated to the party.

    Source: Peace FM

     

  • A/R: Police investigate confrontation between armed civilian and officer

    Police in the Ashanti Region are investigating the incident in which a man is seen wielding a firearm during a confrontation with a police officer.

    The incident was captured on video and soldiers were seen trying to calm the situation.

    “All the uniformed persons in the video are known officers who are presently stationed in the Ashanti Region, where the incident took place. They all reported the incident to their commanders on Monday 27th July 2020 when it occurred,” the police said to Citi News.

    “We are investigating a video on social media in which a person in an apparent civilian dress is seen brandishing an object, which appears to be a pistol in the face of a Police Officer, with Soldiers apparently calming tensions down,” the police added.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Top ten region with highest number of registered voters as over 12 million people captured

    The Electoral Commission has now registered over 12 Million people in the ongoing voter Registration exercise accross the Country as the exercise enters phase 4.

    At its press briefing today, which was addressed by the Chairman of the Commission, Jean Mensah, the Commission indicated that, it is oncouses to achieving its target of registering 15 Million applicants at the end of the exercise.

    Per the statistics from the Electoral Commission, the Greater Accra Region still leads with the highest number of registered voters among the 16 Regions in Ghana. Below are the top 10 Regions with the highest number of registered voters so far.

    1. Greater Accra Region : 2, 615, 925

    2.Ashanti Region : 2,490,443

    3. Eastern Region : 1,84,734

    4. Central Region : 1, 74,519

    5. Western Region : 734, 545

    6. Northern Region : 687, 123

    7. Volta Region : 660, 508

    8. Bono Region : 460, 222

    9. Upper East Region : 409, 825

    10. Bono Region : 391, 777

    Also at the press briefing today, the EC Chair person asked political party agents to stop causing confusion at the various Registration Centres accross the Country as it is leading to tensions in the ongoing voter Registration exercise.

    Source: opera.com

  • Voters Register: I stand with Fulanis – John Jinapor

    The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Yapei Kusawgu Constituency of the Savannah Region Hon John Abudulai Jinapor has expressed his solidarity with the Fulani Community in the Constituency and assured the them that he strongly stand with them and will do everything constitutionally possible to ensure all Fulanis in the Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency (Central Gonja District) who are qualified to register will not be disenfranchise.

    The nationalities of over 90 Fulanis who were born in Ghana and meet all the requirements are being challenged by the NPP in the Yapei Kusawgu Constituency and going through the hearing notice at the Electoral Commission office in Buipe.

    The MP said he has been following keenly, attempts by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Yapei-Kusawgu Constituency to challenge the eligibility of over 90 residents of Fulani extraction in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region in the ongoing voters Registration exercise.

    “I wish to state unequivocally that the nationality of a citizen is not determined by his tribe, Fulanis for that matter cannot be discriminated against as nationals of the Republic of Ghana”.

    John Abudulai Jinapor said the NDC is on the side of the Fulanis and will continue to support them in these trying and difficult times.

    Source: Nkilgi FM

  • 106 arrested over voter registration breaches

    The police have arrested 106 people in connection with electoral breaches at various centres in the ongoing voters registration exercise across the country.

    The breaches generated 80 cases between June 30 and July 21, out of which the 106 suspects were arrested.

    Some 55 incidents are currently under investigations, 14 cases are already in court, eight suspects are yet to be identified, two cases have been settled, while one case has been closed because it was a false report.

    The Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent of Police Sheila Kessie Abayie-Buckman, said the Greater Accra Region topped the list with 15 cases involving 19 suspects, with 12 of the cases still under investigations, while three were at the law courts.

    She said the Western North Region had 11 cases involving nine suspects, with eight of the cases still under investigation and one already in court, while two suspects were yet to be identified.

    Other regions

    In the Ashanti Region, Mrs Abayie-Buckman said, six cases had been reported, involving six suspects, four of which were still under investigations, while two of the suspects were yet to be identified.

    She said five cases involving nine suspects had been reported in the Tema Police Region, while three were under investigations, with one case in court and another closed.

    She said the Eastern Region had seven cases, with 17 suspects, with three under investigations, two already in court, while one had been settled.

    In the Savannah Region, she said, eight cases, involving 10 suspects, had been reported, with four cases under investigations, two in court, one suspect not identified and one case settled, while seven cases had been reported in the Bono East Region, with 11 suspects involved, seven still under investigations, with none of the cases yet to be sent to court.

    In the Central Region, she said, five cases had been reported, with nine suspects involved, one currently under investigation, three in court, while one suspect was yet to be identified.

    Mrs Abayie-Buckman said eight cases had been reported in the Bono Region, involving seven suspects, with all the eight cases still under investigations, while three had been reported in the Western Region, with six suspects involved, two of them under investigations and one in court.

    Least cases

    She said the Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and Volta regions had so far not reported any incidents relating to the registration exercise, while the Northern Region had recorded only one case, which was pending before court.

    She said the Oti Region had recorded three cases, involving two suspects, with two of them under investigations, with the third already in court, while the North East Region had recorded one incident, with no suspect and the case still under investigation.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Voters registration: 6 foreigners arrested for attempting to register at Kaneshie

    Six foreigners, who allegedly attempted to register in the ongoing voter registration at the Kaneshie Cripples Home Centre,  Accra, have been arrested by the police.

    Mohammed Iddrisu, Ibrahim Inusah, Abdulai Aziz, Abdulai Alhassan, Adams Osman and Issaka Bubaa were in the custody of the police assisting in investigations.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge confirmed the arrest to the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday

    She said yesterday at about 10:30a.m, the suspects believed to be foreigners were seen in a queue about to register at the Kaneshie Cripples Home registration centre.

    DSP Tenge said that some political agents at the centre, who suspected the people were non-Ghanaians, arrested and handed them over to the police.

    She said the suspects had since been taken to the Accra Regional Command.

    The Ghanaian Times gathered that when the party agents confronted the suspects, they claimed some party executives had asked them to come to the centre and register.

     

    Source: Ghanaian Times

  • Police vow to deal with trouble makers at registration centres

    The Ghana Police Service has pledged to deal with anyone who forments trouble at the registration centres.

    “Any person or group of persons, political or not, who has been arrested or will be arrested will face the consequence of the law, as far as police powers are concerned,” it said in an official statement.

    It expressed the concern of the Administration about reports of violence in the ongoing Voters Registration Exercise, which had created tension, alarm, fear and insecurity among the populace.

    “However, Police assures all that the necessary police actions have been taken or are being taken to bring all culprits to book”.

    The Police Administration said every complaint of violence reported to Police was being investigated with some already in Court and emphasised that due process would be followed in all the cases.

    These were contained in a statement signed by Superintendent of Police, Mrs Sheilla Kessie Abayie-Buckman, Director of Public Affairs and copied to the Ghana News Agency.

    It has, therefore, warned that per the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2016 (C.I. 91), persons and groups outside the list provided under règulation 10 are barred from entering any Registration Centre.
    “A person who disrupts proccedings at a Registration Centre or in any way interferes with the work of an official connected with registration of voters commits an offence,” it said.

    The statement said the threat or intimidation by a person to further that person’s interest or an affiliate related to a political party or office holder, among others, also amounted to offence under the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 209 (Act 999).

    “The Police Administration finally cautions all to adhere to the rules and regulations laid down for the registration exercise, including following the EC’s challenge procedure for ineligibility,” it added.

    It asked political actors, individuals and groups to stop unwarranted movement to or at Voters Registration Centres, the busing of people or blockage of routes to such Centres.

    The statement, therefore, asked those who claimed to have been receiving calls or reports of illegality from representatives assigned to Registration Centres should promptly contact local Police Officers for action, instead of proceeding to the centres as their presence contributed to the alleged illegality.

    Police Administration identified some of the causes of the violence as movements of politicians to Registration Centres in groups, under the guise of familiarising themselves with the process or responding to calls of illegal actions from party representatives assigned to the Centres, the blockage of routes to Registration Centres and allegations of busing or transporting of applicants from one Electoral Area to the other.

    These acts, it said, had resulted in physical and verbal attacks on Registration Officials.

    Source: GNA

  • Only a legally mandated body can resolve electoral issues – EC

    The Electoral Commission (EC)has said settling of electoral issues at the registration centres can only be done by the District Registration Review Committee and not any other individual at the registration centres.

    Mr Samuel Tettey, Deputy Chairman in Charge of Operations at the Electoral Commission speaking at the, “Let the Citizen Know” explained that the Commission had reporting procedures to follow in the resolution of disputes at all registration centres.

    “If you have issues with any applicant at the centres there is a challenge form that the person raising the issue must fill. There is a district registration review committee that will sit to review all the cases for the peaceful resolution of the challenge,” he said.

    Mr Tettey, therefore, appealed to members of the public who have issues with applicants should go through the due process.

    “If we try to use our own means to resolve the issues, there will be chaos at the registration centres,” Mr Tettey cautioned.

    He advised political parties to avoid busing prospective applicants to the registration centres as it was a source of concern.

    Source: GNA

  • Voters registration: NPP MP’s, leaders and officers carry guns around – Kweku Boahen

    Deputy National Communication Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kweku Boahen, has cautioned citizens to be careful when dealing with members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

    According to Kweku Boahen they have guns on them everywhere they go.

    He said the ruling government has interfered with activities of all government institutions especially the security services, the reason they carry protective weapons on them.

    “Members of the NPP carry guns along everywhere they go; their officers, MPs and all their leaders…” he told Afia Pokuaa on UTV.

    On whether he has evidence to that effect, he said he has been to many polling stations and can testify that they have in their possession guns.

    “Immediately you talk to them they easily tell you they have their licensed guns in their cars…what at all are they doing with their guns in their cars? Every NPP big shot has a gun in their Landcruiser…we have to do away with this kind of intimidation in our politics…this is what the Peace Council has to talk to the government about…” he added.

    Listen to Kweku Boahen in the video below

    Source: Peace FM

     

  • Banda, Kasoa voter registration violence: Prosecute instigators GBA

    The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has described as “disturbing and totally unacceptable”, the violent events that occurred at Banda Ahenkro in the Bono Region and the Awutu Senya East Constituency in the Central Region during the ongoing voter registration exercise.

    In the Bono Region, a graduate teacher was killed during a confrontation at a registration centre.

    At Kasoa on Monday, 20 July 2020, the sitting MP, Hawa Koomson, fired a warning shot at a registration centre as chaos marred the exercise that day.

    Three motorcycles were burnt and EC officials took to their heels after gun-wielding men disrupted the process.

    The GBA, in a statement, said it finds “these incidences very unfortunate and we hereby condemn unreservedly the actions of the perpetrators which have resulted in the untimely death of one person, attacks on officials of the EC, mayhem and confusion. Their actions are lawless and totally unacceptable.”

    The GBA further noted that it is regrettable that the suspects, in one instance, include a minister who is also a lawmaker.

    The association says it has taken notice of the fact that the Police is investigating the matter and express the hope that the investigation will result “in the swift arrest and due prosecution of the offenders irrespective of status”.

    Source: Class FM

  • EC registers 9.8 million voters

    The Electoral Commission has so far registered a total of 9,886,768 qualified voters after 20 days of meticulous nationwide voters registration exercise.

    The statistics released by the commission on Wednesday, 22 July 2020 shows fluctuations in total national daily records.

    The data shows that, “day 6” of the registration exercise recorded the lowest number of registrants, which is 314,602 while a total of 890,134 registrants were recorded on the 19th day as the highest national daily record so far. The second highest national daily record was on the 14th day with a total of 783,119 registrants.

    It is worthy to note that about 316,677 people were registered on the first day of the registration exercise. But this number has doubled between “day 13” to “day 20” in exception of “day 17” and 18 which recorded 517,465 and 449,438 respectively.

    The registration which started at the beginning of July is progressing steadily despite few challenges.

    The previous statistics presented by the Electoral Commission shows that on regional basis, Greater Accra is the chat followed by the Ashanti region. Obviously, this due to the high population density in these two regions.

  • Calm at Islamic polling centre in Lashibi as residents register

    It’s been calm at the Islamic registration centre in Lashibi as residents queue to register for their voter ID cards.

    According to Joseph Morgan, Registration Officer One, the centre has not witnessed any chaotic encounters between residents and party agents.

    “Even though social distancing protocols have been breached because most people who register still linger to witness what is going on, there has been calm,” Morgan told GhanaWeb. “Most people who have registered have done so through guarantors, with a minimal number using Ghana cards.”

    The Registration Officer added that the centre registers about 150 people a day, including about 20 aged people.

    “The centre has only one BVR machine, making the process a bit slow,” Morgan stressed.

    The Electoral Commission (EC) is registering voters ahead of the December 2020 polls.

    About 15 million Ghanaians are expected to be registered in the exercise which started 30 June 30 and August 6.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Mahama ends visit to registration centres over neglect of safety protocols

    Former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama has ended his unannounced visits to the various registration centres over the disregards for Coronavirus safety protocols.

    The flagbearer for the opposition National Democratic Congress started his unannounced visits to some of the registration centers across the country.

    He started with the Volta Region where spoke to Chiefs and elders in the region after his rounds.

    But the former President in a post on Facebook said he has cut short his visit to the various registration centres because of the disregards for the Coronavirus safety protocols.

    He said “I have cut short my unannounced visit to some voter registration centres in Accra and Tema this afternoon. This is because of the very low awareness of the #COVID19 protocols including physical distancing and the wearing of masks.

    “We have to step up public education on COVID-19 so that people can appreciate the risk reduction protocols”.

     

    Source: My News GH

  • 2 arrested with weapons escorting passengers to registration centre in Damongo

    The Savannah Regional Police Command has arrested two persons for illegal possession of firearm at Kojokora in the West Gonja district of the Savannah Region.

    DGN Online gathered that the suspects Inusah Iddisah and Salifu Abubakar claimed they were escorting the passengers to the registration centre with weapons due to the rampant robbery incidents in the area.

    The suspects were arrested with guns, ammunition and machetes.

    The Savannah Regional Police Commander, DCOP Adetwum Bediako who confirmed the arrest to DGN Online said during interrogations, the suspects said they were using the weapons to protect the passengers by escorting them to the registration centre.

    According to him, the suspects will be charged and arraigned after investigations.

    The ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) in the Savannah Region has accused the NDC for recruiting the suspects to escort the passengers to the registration centre to register them in the ongoing voters registration exercise.

    The Savannah Regional Communication Director, Mohammed Issah claimed that upon an alert from the hardworking Damango Constituency Executives of the NPP, the Police and Military quickly moved in to arrest the NDC vigilante group.

    “The NPP is and will remain law abiding citizens and will do nothing to disrupt the peace that is being enjoyed in the the Nana Addo created Savannah Region.”

    Meanwhile , the Savannah NDC Communication Officer ,Malik Basintale however denied that the suspects were NDC vigilante group.

    “Such fake stories are capable of causing serious tensions in the region and we call on the security services, particularly the police to as a matter of urgency invite whoever is behind this false accusation for strict interrogation and hence be used as a scapegoat to deter others who may engage in such despicable acts in the near future.”

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • Four arrested over shooting at registration centre

    Four persons are in the grips of the police for allegedly disrupting the voter registration exercise at the Steps to Christ Registration Centre in the Awutu Senya East Constituency of the Central Region.

    The cause of the incident is still unknown but police say the men just stormed the centre and one of them pulled a pistol and fired warning shots.

    This scared queued applicants, who run helter-skelter for their lives.

    Three burnt motorbikes were later found at the scene.

    The Kasoa Divisional Police Command rushed to the scene upon receiving reports of the activities of the men and arrested the four suspects.

    A statement issued by the Electoral Commission of Ghana said the gunmen attacked their officials.

    The elections-management body has, therefore, appealed to the security agencies to get to the bottom of the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.

    Source: 3 News

  • Ghanaian Times: Dealing with thugs at voter registration centres

    The Ghanaian Times on Wednesday carried a story under the headline “Student stabbed to death at Banda Ahenkro” in which a 28-year-old fresh teacher trainee graduate has allegedly been murdered at Banda Ahenkro in the Banda District of the Bono Region.

    He was said to have been attacked and stabbed by thugs believed to be the supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) without any provocation leading to his death.

    According to the report, it is unclear the reason for the attack but unconfirmed report suggests that the unfortunate incident occurred when the victim was returning from Wenchi to Banda.

    An eyewitness said, on reaching Kabronu, a suburb of the town, the thugs mistook him to be a National Democratic Congress (NDC) sympathizer, accosted and stabbed him to death.

    The report maintained however that the incident did not occur at a registration centre as widely reported.

    The District Chief Executive of the area, Mary Commey, confirmed the incident but could not give details as she was yet to be briefed.

    This is one of the numerous reports we have received from various registration centres and communities where violence have been recorded in relation to the ongoing registration exercise.

    Few of the thugs who attempted to cause mayhem at some registration centres have been arrested by the police but others have attacked, beaten up and in some cases inflicted wounds on their victims.

    Certainly, this is not the first time that such violence is being witnessed in our political activities but it appears it is now a deliberate ploy by political parties to deploy thugs at registration centres with the sole aim of attacking their opponents.

    This is not appropriate and a shame that contrary to the code of conduct that was signed by political parties to disband political vigilantism, the parties have rather tacitly supported the thugs to engage in violent activities at the registration centres.

    The Ghanaian Times is concerned that these violent activities are happening at registration centres, a place that should be under security protection for voters to register and participate in future election.

    We are baffled that instead of comporting ourselves and peacefully engaging in the exercise that would give us a clean and acceptable register for all, some are rather engaged in violence and attacks that is not in the interest of the exercise.

    We urge the Electoral Commission (EC) and security agencies to beef up security at hotspots across the country to deal with the thugs in accordance with law.

    For us to come out with a clean and acceptable register, it is appropriate that the hoodlums are dealt with so that these acts of violence would stop.

    We also appeal to the political parties to call their supporters to order and dissociate themselves from such violent activities by their supporters in line with their stated undertaken to stop political vigilantism and election related violence in the country.

    Source: Ghanaian Times

  • Voters registration: NDC supporters besiege Kasoa Police station

    Some people believed to be supporters of the National Democratic Congress on Monday besieged the Kasoa Police Command despite heavy police presence at the station.

    This comes after four people hour were arrested, with some guns retrieved by the Kasoa Divisional Police Command.

    They have since been transferred to the Regional Police Headquarters in Cape Coast in the the Central Regional Capital for investigations to continue.

    Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Charles Ampem Koosonu revealed his outfit acted immediately the incident happened and upon swift patrols in and around Kasoa environs arrested a pickup where they arrested this suspects.

    Speaking on Starr Today, NDC communications officer Mr Delali Sewarkpor accused the Special Initiatives Minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson of being behind the violence in the area.

    According to him, several complaints to the Kasoa divisional police command has been ignored with no arrest made.

    Mr. Sewakpor added that NPP thugs have on different occasions attacked members of the NDC and in some instance serious injuries have been inflicted on their party members with no action taken by the Police.

    Mr. Sewakpor added that NDC supporters who besieged the Police station earlier in the day have left.

    Currently, the registration centre has been closed down as the Electoral Commission officers at the venue have fled following the violence.

    Source: Starr FM

  • EC registers over 500,000 voters within 18 days in Volta Region

    A total of 506,698 applicants in the Volta region were issued with the new voter card after 18 days of a registration exercise by the Election Commission (EC).

    Mr. Dogbey Adukpo Selormey, the Regional Director of the EC, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency on Saturday.

    He said the daily summary statistics of the region showed that the 14th day of the voter registration exercise produced the highest figure of 49,759 with the first day recording the lowest 19,333.

    He said a total of 1,495 applications were challenged in the exercise in the region within the same period of registration activity.

    The Director said the highest aggregation occurred on July 9, recording 171 being the challenged applications per day on the ninth day and the lowest recording of 31 on the first day of the registration exercise.

    Mr Selormey indicated that challenges hinged on applicants citizenship and residential status within the constituencies at the time of the registration exercise.

    He said his expectation about the conduct of the registration exercise was met and appealed to people yet to undertake the exercise within the remaining days to end the exercise.

    Meanwhile, Nana Oduro Numapau, Ho Municipal Director of EC, said total challenges recorded as of July 1, this year, were 78, adding that 25 of the challenges were cleared.

     

    Source: GNA

  • More than 100,000 registered in Western North Region after third phase

    The Electoral Commission (EC) has registered a total of 100,538 persons from the nine constituencies in the Western North Region at the end of phase three of the ongoing voters registration exercise.

    The figure comprise of 51,244 males and 49,294 females.

    A total of 13,462 were registered in the Aowin constiuency,4,293 in the Suaman constiuency, Bibiani Anwhiaso Bekwai constiuency registered 25,223 with 17,828 recorded in the Waiwso Constituency.

    Others are 7,485 from Akontombra Constituency, Juabeso recorded 9, 250 while Bodi constituency had 5,732.

    The rest are 12,193 for Bia West and 5,062 for Bia East Constituencies.

    Mr Godwin Okley, the Regional Director of the EC, said 74,734 of the registered persons used the Ghana card to support their registration with 352 supporting their registration with passport, while 25,452 got registered through guarantors.

    He said 277 persons were challenged and 321 Persons with disabilities got registered.

    Mr Okley said the fourth phase of the exercise had started in 232 centres across the Region and called on those who were yet to visit any registration centre to ensure they follow the precautionary measures at the centres.

    Source: GNA

  • ‘Togolese’ who attempted to acquire voters register put before court

    A 35-year old man believed to be a Togolese has been granted bail by a Tema Magistrate Court for attempting to register in the ongoing voter registration exercise.

    The court presided over by Mrs Akosua Anokyewaa Adjepong granted him bail in the sum of GH¢ 6,000.00 with two sureties after pleading not guilty to an electoral related offence.

    Elvis Kweku Saglah, the accused, was arrested on Wednesday at about 1630 hours by some men perceived to be National Security operatives who were present at the Assemblies of God church registration station One at Ataa Saki, Nmlitsakpo Electoral area of the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality in the Greater Accra Region.

    Saglah was initially given a police enquiry bail by the Kpone District Police but was re-arrested on Friday when he reported to the station in line with the bail condition.

    Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Donnie Saglah, a relative of the accused, said Saglah was a Ghanaian, born to a Ghanaian father, the late Mr Mensah Saglah, who hailed from Anloga in the Volta Region.

    The relative further explained that the accused was however born in Togo because his late mother was a Togolese adding that he grew up and schooled in Togo but he was brought to Ghana by some foreign investors in 2009 to work and had since remained in Ghana.

    “He is a Ghanaian and must be treated with some dignity, “he added.

    The GNA observed on Monday that, relatives and friends of the accused stormed the Court ready to testify to his Ghanaian nationality but the case was adjourned to July 27, 2020.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Voters registration: Man in his 70s collapses in queue

    A septuagenarian, Mr Phanuel Ameko, was saved by a health agent at the Adaklu Kodzobi Local Authority School registration centre when he collapsed in the queue and had to be revived.

    Mr Mavis Amedzoku, a health agent at the centre, who briefed the Ghana News Agency, said the man in his 70s fell while in the queue for the aged and was resuscitated.

    She said Mr Ameko was giving first aid and tested for malaria.

    Mr Ameko was attended to by the registration officials after he regained consciousness.

    Mr Prosper Kumah, a party agent, complained about the large number of inhabitants in the many communities under the Centre.

    “I doubt if everybody can be registered within the six days because the queue is getting longer each day,” he said.

    Some of the satellite communities include Kodzobi Ando, Areas 52 and 53, University of Health and Allied Sciences.

    The GNA observed that there was order at the centre as seats were provided for all amidst strict social distancing.

    Source: GNA

  • Voters registration: Man in his 70s collapses in queue

    A septuagenarian, Mr Phanuel Ameko, was saved by a health agent at the Adaklu Kodzobi Local Authority School registration centre when he collapsed in the queue and had to be revived.

    Mr Mavis Amedzoku, a health agent at the centre, who briefed the Ghana News Agency, said the man in his 70s fell while in the queue for the aged and was resuscitated.

    She said Mr Ameko was giving first aid and tested for malaria.

    Mr Ameko was attended to by the registration officials after he regained consciousness.

    Mr Prosper Kumah, a party agent, complained about the large number of inhabitants in the many communities under the Centre.

    “I doubt if everybody can be registered within the six days because the queue is getting longer each day,” he said.

    Some of the satellite communities include Kodzobi Ando, Areas 52 and 53, University of Health and Allied Sciences.

    The GNA observed that there was order at the centre as seats were provided for all amidst strict social distancing.

    Source: GNA

  • I have done nothing wrong – Nana B insists

    The National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Henry Nana Boakye, has mounted a strong defense over his decision to visit some Senior High Schools in the country, but denies any attempts to campaign for his party.

    Nana B, as he is affectionately called, has come under fire after a photo of him interacting with some SHS students went online despite a directive from the Ghana Education Service banning all such visits.

    But speaking to journalists on the matter in Kumasi, Nana B denied any wrongdoing. He insisted that he visited the schools to monitor the registration exercise.

    He added that he was appropriately accredited to monitor the exercise by the Electoral Commission.

    “For the records, I never campaigned in any of the schools I visited. I visited these schools as an accredited party official and I received the official accreditation from the Electoral Commission. Indeed, all political parties obtained the official accreditation from the EC and some NDC members also visited the SHS campuses,” Nana B stressed.

    Background

    The Electoral Commission registered eligible students in senior high schools between July 10 and 11, 2020.

    The Commission took the decision because SHS students are not allowed to go out of the premises of their schools.

    The opposition National Democratic Congress insisted that the exercise was illegal since the senior high schools were not gazetted for the registration but the EC was adamant.

    Source: Daily Mail

  • Bono Police investigates alleged stabbing incident in Banda District

    The Bono Regional Police Command is investigating an alleged stabbing to death of a 29-year-old teacher in a passenger bus by a member of a group at Kabironu near Banda-Ahenkro in the Banda District of Bono Region.

    Chief Inspector Augustine Kingsley Oppong, the Bono Regional Police Public Relations Officer told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview on Wednesday in Sunyani.

    He said on Monday, July 13, 2020, the Banda District Police Command had information that the group was at Banda-Ahenkro, the District capital, and its environs to monitor the progress of the on-going voters’ registration exercise by the Electoral Commission (EC).

    Chief Inspector Oppong said the Banda Police investigations established that some members of the group were not residents of Banda-Ahenkro, adding that, the Police again had information that some residents of Banda-Ahenkro had also barricaded the main entry road to the town to prevent the group from entering.

    He said the Police intervened to remove the blockade to avoid any possible clash between the Banda-Ahenkro youth and the group.

    Chief Inspector Oppong said the group began to retreat but in the process, their vehicle knocked two people who have been currently hospitalized.

    He said the crash infuriated the youth of Banda-Ahenkro and the Police unexpectedly heard the firing of gunshots and moved to the scene to bring the situation under control but two of the Policemen were hit by pellets.

    They were rushed to the Wenchi Methodist Hospital for treatment and were discharged the same day, Chief Inspector Oppong said.

    He said in the early hours of Tuesday, July 14, 2020, the Banda Police had the information that the group had attacked a vehicle travelling from Kabironu, near Banda-Ahenkro and a member stabbed deceased to death.

    Chief Inspector Oppong said the deceased, Silas Wulochema was a graduate from the Akim Oda College of Education.

    He said no arrest has been made and the investigation is on-going.

    Source: GNA

  • NDC accuses police of looking on as an MP and its registration agents were assaulted

    The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ashanti Region is demanding the arrest and prosecution of persons who assaulted the Ejura-Sekyere-Odumase MP and two registration agents.

    Muhammed Bawah Braimah MP for Ejura-Sekyere-Odumase was allegedly attacked by persons believed to belong to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Ejura, while the agents were beaten up at Drobonso.

    Party leaders say they have made names of suspects available to police and expect them to be apprehended within 72 hours.

    Regional Secretary, Kwame Zu and Communications Officer, Abass Nurudeen, addressed the media in Kumasi said the police and military persons witnessed the assault.

    “The police and the military, who are expected to stay in the middle have now teamed up with the NPP to assault NDC members.

    “Soldiers and police are being directed by DCEs to beat NDC agents at polling stations and our MP for Ejura, who nearly lost his life.

    “At Drobonso, two of our agents were just challenging some non-citizens who were at a centre to write their names. They called police officers to beat them up,” Mr Nurudeen alleged.

    The NDC is also alleging that police and military personnel deployed to monitor the registration exercise are intimidating its members.

    It also accused the Electoral Commission of padding figures recorded in the on-going registration exercise as part of a plot to rig the 2020 polls for the governing party.

     

    Source: myjoyonline

  • Calm returns to Bono Region after bloody registration centre confrontation

    Calm has returned to the Banda Constituency in the Bono Region following a confrontation at a registration centre that resulted in the death of one person.

    This is according to the Bono Regional Police Command which says the presence of security personnel has been beefed up on the ground.

    The scuffle reportedly began after some persons associated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the constituency allegedly confronted brother of the MP for the area, Ahmed Ibrahim, over reasons not yet known.

    Bono Regional Police PRO, Chief Inspector Augustine Kingsley Oppong told Citi News police are gathering evidence and will soon make an arrest.

    “We are gathering intelligence that will lead us to the right culprits so that we will not go and arrest some people and later release them. There is reinforcement there, and now the situation is under control for now. People are moving to and fro for their own business. Police, military and immigration are on the ground.”

     

    One killed

    Silas Wulochamey, a graduate teacher trainee from the Akim Oda Teacher Training College was allegedly accosted by the men at Banda Kabrono on Monday when he was returning from a visit to his pastor at Wenchi.

    Some reports suggest that the stabbing occurred at a registration centre following an altercation between some New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters.

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Tension looms in Banda over killing of student

    There is growing tension in the Banda Constituency in the Bono Region following the death of a 28-year-old Silas Wulochamey, a graduate of Methodist University College.

    The sad and untimely demise of Silas who many describe as calm and God-fearing has heightened tension in the area.

    The tension has heightened the fears of residents that there may be reprisal attacks to atone for the death of the deceased who was cruelly murdered.

    A resident who spoke to GhanaWeb on condition of strict anonymity revealed that there are indications the death of the boy is likely not to go unpunished.

    “We are living in fear as there are indications that there will be retaliation to atone for the death of Silas. I can tell you on authority that it will happen because I know my people,” he warned.

    Meanwhile, Chief Inspector Augustine Oppong, the Bono Regional Police PRO has told GhanaWeb that the police are yet to commence investigations into the matter to ascertain the actual cause of death of the deceased.

    He revealed that they have since beefed up security in the area to prevent any reprisal attack.

    Family sources tell GhanaWeb that the body of the deceased has been deposited at the Wenchi Methodist Hospital morgue awaiting autopsy on Friday, July 17.

    Silas Wulochamey was travelling from Wenchi to Banda when the vehicle he was on board was attacked by some yet to be identified assailants at Kabronu near Banda.

    The passengers in the vehicle were attacked at a roadblock at Kabronu leading to many of them sustaining injuries.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Over 52,000 registered in Western North Region

    The Electoral Commission (EC) has so far registered a total of 52,769 persons in the Western North Region at the end of phase one and two of the ongoing voters’ registration exercise.

    This comprises of 26,866 males and 25,903 females with 571 Persons with disabilities.

    Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Godwin Okley, Regional Director of the Electoral Commission said a total of 328 persons have been challenged across the nine Constituencies in the region.

    He said the Commission has put in place adequate measures to ensure strict adherence of COVID-19 protocols.

    Mr Okley said the Commission provided Veronica buckets, soaps, tissue papers, sanitizer, and gun Thermometers with a nurse each at all registration centres across the Region.

    He in this regard advised both registrants, electoral officials, and visitors to comply with all the Protocols.

    In a related development, a total of 3,604 persons were registered during the two days exercise to register final year senior high school students in all the senior high schools across the Region.

    Source: GNA

  • Will Ghana collapse if no registration exercise is held? – Pratt questions EC

    Editor-in-Chief of Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has slammed the Electoral Commission (EC) for refusing to postpone or cancel the voters’ registration exercise.

    The EC commenced the new voters’ registration exercise on Tuesday, June 30 despite opposition to stop the exercise.

    The National Democratic Congress (NDC) filed a lawsuit against the EC but the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of the electoral management body empowering it to conduct the registration exercise amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

    In spite of the EC’s assurances to Ghanaians that it will enforce the COVID-19 safety protocols, Ghana’s case count keeps increasing.

    The country’s case count has risen to over 25,000 and over 21,000 people have been declared recovered or discharged and 139 people have unfortunately lost their lives.

    There are however consistent calls on the EC to call off the ongoing registration exercise.

    Kwesi Pratt is also unhappy with the seemingly adamant posture of the EC, asking why the Commission wants to risk the lives of Ghanaians all in the name of compiling a new voters’ register.

    “If we had not conducted this voter registration exercise, would Ghana collapse?” he questioned.

    He appealed for the registration exercise to be possibly canceled to protect Ghanaians against the deadly disease.

    “This pandemic disease has spread across the nation and we are saying we should go and register irrespective. When you oppose it, they will say you don’t want to register but you will go and vote during the elections. Why? If we don’t do the register but only go and vote, you have minimized the risk maybe by more than 50%. So, minimizing the risk is also important”, he said on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’.

     

    Source: Peace FM

  • EC issues same voter ID numbers to 65 applicants in Okaikwei North District

    The Electoral Commission (EC) says it has issued the same voter ID number to some 65 applicants in two Registration Centers at the Okaikwei North District.

    According to the Commission, the anomaly occurred as a result of a faulty kit that had its unique identity transferred to a back up kit was inadvertently released to the District Office after it had been repaired without creating a new identity for it.

    The Electoral Commission said it detected the anomaly on the same day the cards were issued and have assured the persons involved to provide them with new voter ID numbers at the completion of the registration process.

    Source: MyNewsGh.com

  • EC identifies 63 duplicate ID numbers

    The Electoral Commission (EC) says it has identified a total of 63 duplicate ID numbers in the ongoing voters registration exercise.

    In a statement, the EC says the duplicates were identified at Okaikwei North District.
    The Commission explained that the problem was detected by its registration officials on the day of the incident where two kits with the same identity issuing the same ID numbers to the applicants.

    “Further investigation revealed that a faulty kit that had its unique identity transferred to a back up kit was inadvertently released to the District office after it had been repaired without creating a new identity for it”, the statement indicated.

    It stated that the affected persons will be issued with new voters ID numbers at the completion of the voters registration exercise.

    “The affected applicants are unique with unique biodata and biometrics. As such they stand no risk of being disenfranchised on voting day,” the statement explained.

    The EC has therefore reassured the affected applicants and the general public that this incident will not in any way disenfranchise any voter as it has taken steps to ensure that this episode does not recur.

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • Registration centres with hitches to be given additional time

    The Electoral Commission will ensure that all Voter Registration Centres with technical hitches leading to delays would be granted additional time to make up for the loss.

    A statement signed by Mrs Sylvia Annoh, EC Acting Director of Public Affairs and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the technical hitches were as a result of network problems.

    The statement the hitches affected the activation of some of the registration kits used across the country and the technical team as at July 12, successfully resolved about 98 per cent of the issues and the rest would be completed on July 13 to enable registration to take place.

    The Commission apologised for the inconvenience caused to to affected applicants at those registration centres. According to the EC, “The third phase of the registration exercise began on Sunday, July 12 and will end on July 17, 2020,” adding that a good number of the registration kits had been activated.

    “All eligible applicants scheduled to register during the third phase may make themselves available at the respective registration centres to go through the process to be registered as Voters”.

    It called for cooperation among the stakeholders and compliance to all the safety protocols to make the exercise a success.

    Source: GNA

  • Weve not received any suit on SHS registration EC

    The Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday said it has not been served with any suit to restrain it from registering applicants in Senior High Schools.

    Responding to a question at the third edition of the “Let the Citizen Know,” media briefing, Dr Bossman Eric Asare, EC Deputy Chairman in charge of Corporate Service, said the Commission had not received any order stopping it for registering students in senior high schools.

    He told the journalists that registration of students at senior high schools took place last weekend.

    “The Commission is still looking at the option of going back to these schools in the course of the week to register those who did not have the chance to register.

    “This is because reports coming to us indicate that in most of the schools the team could not even register 50 per cent,” he said.

    According to Dr Asare, the Commission would endeavour to ensure that every qualified Ghanaian was given the chance to register.

    He said the Commission would also have a mop-up registration exercise for all those who may not be captured during the main phases of the exercise.

    Dr Asare said the current phase, which began on Sunday, is been conducted in 6,728 registration centres and the 267 district offices of the Commission.

    “As you can see, the Commission has ramped-up the registration with the doubling of the centres we did last week. This means we are likely to witness an increase in the numbers registered on daily basis this week”, he said.

    Source: GNA

  • We’ll ensure that all eligible applicants are registered – EC

    The Electoral Commission (EC) on Monday assured electorates that it will use its mobile teams to work in all centres that faced network challenges on Sunday to ensure they are not disadvantaged.

    Speaking at the “Let the Citizen Know,” briefing in Accra, Dr Bossman Eric Asare, the Deputy Chairman in charge of Corporate Service at the EC, recalled that due to network challenges, some centres could not start the registration exercise on time or did not do any registration at all on Sunday.

    He said the EC was on top of the issues and was working around the clock to fix the challenges.

    Dr Asare apologised to all applicants affected and gave an assurance that the Commission would make up for the hours lost by deploying more of its mobile teams to speed up the registration of applicants.

    Touching on the registration at the electoral areas, he stressed that as long as an applicant lived in the electoral area he or she could register at the nearest centre.

    He said it was unfortunate that some potential registrants were of the view that because the registration teams had left the centres close to their homes they could not register and vote in the upcoming general election.

    Dr Asare explained that the figures that the Commission had been giving out to the public during briefings were provisional.

    “When the registration is over and all the processes including porting of the data are consummated the Commission will announce the final figures for each region for the information of all our stakeholders.”

    “All actors are encouraged to reach out to the Commission regarding any discrepancies in the figures”.

    Source: GNA