Govt responsible for violence in ongoing voters registration exercise – Group

The Coalition of Civil Societies Against Political Vigilantism (CCSAPV) has asserted the government of Ghana led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is to be held responsible for what they describe as “violence, assault and atrocities meted on innocent Ghanaian citizens in the ongoing registration exercise at the Electoral Commission registration centres.”

In a press release by the group copied to GhanaWeb, it said the perpetrators of such acts are party thugs who have been recruited and integrated into security agencies and now move from one registration centre to another in Toyota Landcruisers and other branded vehicles to beat up and threaten innocent citizens who are queued up at registration centres.

The coalition stated that the acts by these individuals who they allege go to the centres wielding ammunitions and other forms of assault weapons, have been emboldened because of government’s refusal to implement the Emile Short Commission's recommendations on the Ayawaso West Wuogon By-Election violence.

The CCSAPV predicts that should government continue to fail in implementing the Short Commission’s recommendations to serve as a deterrent to others, the current situation of violence being witnessed will be a shadow of the possible mayhem that may characterize the general elections in December.

The group has, therefore, made a call on government to “rescind its decision and withdraw the initial White Paper Report which sort to decline the implementation of the commission’s recommendations to the fullest” and as well “take matters of vigilantism seriously and also ensure that justice is dispensed fairly and equally to inspire confidence in the general public.”

Read CCSAPV's full release below