Military deployment: Govt setting ‘deadly precedence’ in Volta Region - ASEPA

Civil Society Organisation, Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability, has said the deployment of military personnel in the Volta Region should be a source of great concern every well-meaning Ghanaian.

In a press statement issued on Monday, June 29, 2020, ASEPA said the development may prove to be “deadly precedence” if it continues.

“Reliable information reaching ASEPA has it that, during the early hours of Sunday, June 28th 2020, the Deputy Constituency Secretary for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ho Central Constituency of the Volta Region, arrived at the Shia border in a Nissan-Patrol vehicle.

“Further checks revealed that this secretary came in the company of over 40 armed military personnel to complement the existing immigration officers at the said border within the Ho Central constituency,” the release signed by Oscar Bedzra, a Policy Analyst at ASEPA, stated.

ASEPA further alleged that its sources stated that the constituency secretary has tasked the polling station executives of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) around the border towns, to point out to the military additional points to enable the security personnel to prevent Ghanaians from entering and registering for the voter ID cards.

“Fellow Ghanaians, it would be recalled that the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) had on the 3rd of February 2020, presented some relief items to Ghanaians at the Port De Perch (Fishing Harbour) in Katanga, Togo.

“A delegation led by the following officials under President Nana Akufo-Addo's government, namely the Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Hon Mohammed Habib Tajani, Hon Henry Quartey who is the then deputy minister in charge of Interior as well as the director-general of NADMO in the person of Mr Eric Agyemang Prempeh and his deputy …In this regard, ASEPA strongly believes that this ongoing move in the Volta region is aimed at suppressing the freedom of Voltarians in favour of the ruling government as because of the fears that Voltarians will register in their numbers,” ASEPA stated.

The governance and media rights think tank has called on the National Peace Council to register their displeasure over the matter, adding “this a possible catalyst to political unrest in Ho Central constituency and the Volta region at large.”

The think tank also called on all media houses to join the campaign to ensure peace and social equity ahead of the December elections.