NPP executives cry foul over registration exercise

Sunyani, June 9, GNA - Executives of Sunyani East constituency branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Wednesday raised concern about alleged government pressure on district and municipal electoral offices in the Brong-Ahafo Region to recruit sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as electoral officers for the impending voters registration exercise. They said such alleged attempt by the NDC was a calculated effort to manipulate the electoral process so that the 2012 general election would go in their favour.

The executives raised the concerns in a statement signed by Mr James Oppong Asare, chairman, Mr Lawrence Amponsah, electoral research officer and Gyabaah Yeboah communication officer. The executives called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to take note of such unhealthy development and as a matter of urgency to investigate the issue to ensure a peaceful registration exercise that would culminate in the conduct of free and fair elections in 2012. They said the relative peace Ghanaians were enjoying could be attributed in part to the EC's track record of conducting free and fair elections for the past eight years and appealed to the EC not to allow selfish politicians to dent its hard won reputation.

"The NDC government's quest to remain in power in spite of its abysmal performance and its failure to deliver on its promises to the ordinary Ghanaian has evolved evil schemes to tilt the outcome of the 2012 general election in its favour", the executives alleged.