Ashanti Regional Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sam Pyne has jabbed the Editor-in-Chief of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt, for rebuking the Electoral Commission (EC) over the ongoing voters' registration exercise.
Kwesi Pratt, speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, slammed the Electoral Commission (EC) for refusing to halt the registration exercise.
The EC commenced the new voters' registration exercise on Tuesday, June 30 and there have been concerns that the Commission might be risking the lives of many Ghanaians to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EC has however implemented precautionary measures at the various registration centres to ensure the safety of Ghanaians but the calls for it to either postpone or cancel the exercise remain unabated.
Mr. Pratt also expressed disgust over the adamant behaviour of the EC Chairpersons, asking why the Commission wants to expose Ghanaians to the COVID-19.
"If we had not conducted this voter registration exercise, would Ghana collapse?" he questioned.
"This pandemic disease has spread across the nation and we are saying we should go and register irrespective. When you oppose it, they will say you don't want to register but you will go and vote during the elections. Why? If we don't do the register but only go and vote, you have minimized the risk maybe by more than 50%. So, minimizing the risk is also important," he further stated.
Kwesi Pratt's concerns portrayed him as someone who won't partake in the registration exercise, looking at the fact that he believes it's risky for any eligible Ghanaian to go to the registration centre and have his or her name entered into the new voters' register.
In view of this, Sam Pyne, appearing on the Wednesday edition of 'Kokrokoo', sought to find out if Kwesi Pratt standing by his principle that the registration exercise is hub for the Coronavirus would refuse to register his name.
But, to the utter shock of Sam Pyne. Mr. Pratt has already registered his name.
Speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi, Sam Pyne wondered why he (Kwesi Pratt) would participate in the exercise amd receive his voter ID card which qualifies him to vote in the 2020 elections but discourage people from also registering their names.
"Why is he not encouraging people to also register to effect changes? Why would you then come and sit on radio and tell the world as if the process is a land mine?" he quizzed.
Reacting to Mr. Pratt's assertion that the EC's refusal to halt the exercise will majorly contribute to the increasing number of COVID-19 infections in the country, Sam Pyne asked "has he fallen sick after going to register? He observed the protocols. So, why is it that when someone goes and observes the protocols, the person can't return safe?"
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