We’ll Deal With Anyone Who Disrupts Voter’s Regiater Compilation – Obiri Boahen Discloses.
The Deputy General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP)
Nana Obiri Boahen has warned that anyone who attempts to disrupt the
upcoming compilation of the new Voter’s register would be beaten
mercilessly.
According to Nana Obiri Boahen, the violence that happened during the
Ayawaso West Wuogon bye-election was just a tip of the iceberg, warning
of more grievous punishment for persons who attempt to foment trouble
during the exercise.
“Stay home if you don’t agree to the compilation of the new register
because anyone who tries to disrupt the exercise will be beaten. We will
beat you mercilessly. What happened in Ayawaso is just a tip of the
iceberg,” Nana Obiri Boahen said in an interview on Dadi 101.1FM.
The Deputy General Secretary added that the compilation of a new
voters’ register for 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Election is
non-negotiable.
“…limited registration isn’t it a registration. If we say we are
doing general registration and that only 25 people should be in a queue
at a time won’t the same be done for limited registration? Every
registration is registration. Covid-19 is not part of an emergency under
the constitution of Ghana so whether it is COVID-19 or not elections
would be held. At all cost, the new register would be compiled and if
you don’t understand, you can get petrol to set fire into yourself.”
He explained that as soon as the new Constitutional Instrument (CI)
by the Electoral Commission comes into force, the current voters’
register becomes invalid hence new register must be compiled to conduct
the December 7, 2020 general election.
“Regulation 32 of the CI 91 saved the life of voters register because
when CI,72 was repealed by CI91 regulation 33(D) succinctly explained
that if there is no new register the old register must be used. But The
CI that is about to come into existence will not save the life of the
current register. As soon as the new CI matures the current register
becomes dead. So if you don’t compile a new register you can’t use the
old one”.
The decision by the Electoral Commission of Ghana to compile a new
voters’ register has faced fierce resistance by a group called the
Inter-Party Resistance Against the New Voters Register (IPRAN), made up
of six opposition political parties, including the National Democratic
Congress (NDC).
The group staged demonstrations in some parts of the country early
this year. It had planned to escalate their actions against the EC but
for the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The EC has nonetheless maintained its position to compile a new voters register
The commission initially slated the exercise for April 18, 2020, but had to postpone it due to the coronavirus.
With about 6 months to the December 7, Presidential and Parliamentary
election, the EC has served notice it will still go ahead with the
compilation of the new voters’ register.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
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