EC must ensure registration does not lead to disenfranchisement - Prof.

Mills

Accra, March 2 GNA - Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Flag Bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Tuesday appealed to the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure that the new voters' registration exercise did not cause frustration, thus leading to the disenfranchisement of any Ghanaian.

He said the situation where the lack of adequate number of cameras would make it necessary for the registration and picture taking to be undertaken at different times, was ominous and a sure recipe for double registration.

Prof. Mills made these remarks at a public forum organised by the NDC on the topic: "The State Of Our Nation: The Way Forward" in Accra. The function, which was chaired by Dr Yao Obed Asamoah, National Chairman of the party, attracted many of the party's stalwarts, Members of Parliament (MPs) and other functionaries.

By 0930 hours party functionaries and sympathisers, some clad in party colours, had filled the auditorium of the National Theatre to capacity.

Prof Mills also appealed to the donor community even at this late date to come to the assistance of the Commission in the provision of sufficient cameras.

He called on Ghanaians to prove to the rest of the world that they had matured in their electoral democracy, adding that they could only do that if they could register in their numbers and turned out massively to vote during the elections.

The NDC Flag Bearer made a pledge to the nation that the party would conduct its campaign in a peaceful manner, and urged all the other political parties to do the same.

"I sincerely hope that when it is all over, the ruling NPP will peacefully hand over just as we did in 2000.

"It will be in the paramount interest of Ghana, because the people will not countenance any attempts to do otherwise," he said.

Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, National Organiser of the Party, and MP for Fanteakwa, had set the hall agog by shouting the Party's slogans while the audience responded in unison before Prof mills delivered his speech.