Babalamie urges Zongos, Northerners to register

Residents of Muslim communities in the country have been urged to consider the yet to be opened Biometric voter’s registration exercise as critical and a civic right and responsibility as citizens of Ghana.

Making the call in a statement released in Accra last week, Alhaji Babalamie Abu Sadat, the National Organizer of the NDC National Zongo Caucus stated that it is imperative and a duty on all people in the Muslim communities in Ghana who are qualified, to ensure that their names appear on the register to enable them vote to choose who governs them.

He however cautioned them to make sure they provide accurate information about themselves; “My advice to the brothers and sisters at the Muslim communities is for them to equip themselves with accurate information about themselves to avoid any unnecessary challenges by any individual or group of individuals at the registration centres”. He stated

The National Organizer of the NDC National Zongo Caucus who was once Member of Parliament for Awutu-Senya and is now one of the aspiring NDC parliamentary candidates for the newly created Awutu Constituency in the Central Region urged Muslim to register in their numbers in other to erase the perception that Muslims are a minority in the country.

He also appealed to individuals and Zongo youth not to disrupt the proceedings at registration centres or do anything to interfere with the work of officials undertaking the registration exercise.

Alhaji Babalamie Abu Sadat further stated that: “My final advice is for brothers and sisters in the Muslim communities to keep proper custody of the Voter’s ID card when issued to them.”

“Do not surrender your ID card to anybody demanding it. You may lose your vote by doing so. Avoid multiple registrations. Let us register in our numbers as civic responsibility”. He concluded.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced 24th March 2012 as the commencement of the Bio-metric Voter’s Registration exercise to generate a more accurate and reliable voters’ register for the 2012 general elections.

The exercise will capture Ghanaians who are 18 years and above, people of sound mind and residents in an electoral area. The exercise is scheduled to end on May 5 2012.