Beware of fraudulent registration of minors and foreigners

By: Fadi Dabbousi

The limited voter registration exercise that took off a few days ago seems to be shrouded with doubt over the EC’s discredited reputation. Ghanaians are very wary of the perceived deceitful tactics of this body that is charged with the electoral activities of the country and as such are sceptical about the exercise, although it is relevant to our democracy.

It has been reported that a number of infringes have , thus far, occurred at some polling stations where, severally, Togolese have been arrested for attempting to register without appropriate documents. Information reaching us has it that suspicious activities of people crossing borders for the purpose of this exercise have gone unnoticed or unchecked.

We urgently call on the Ghana Immigration Service to be extra vigilant at our borders whose porosity seems to dilate substantially in times of election related activities.

Recently, it was brought to our attention that at the Odododiodoo Paladium Methodist registration center, one person stood guarantor for five people while at Ablekuma central, minors who were brought in to register fled after alarm blew their cover and blows were exchanged. The driver at the center of this story is reported to be in the grips of police.

Since it was made clear to Ghanaians that elections are won at the polling stations, the nation must be spared the charlatanism of narcissists from all parties such that nothing will be left to chance. Anomalies have been reported in Volta, Greater Accra and Brong Ahafo regions, amongst other places, and it is only fair to Mother Ghana that the foxy ways of the Electoral Commission be checked since these irregularities are occurring in the blind side of their cross-eyed sightedness. In most of these cases, the vigilant officers of the NPP and other national stakeholders from different parties were the ones who raised hell forcing the lame electoral commission to sit up, albeit lopsidedly.

We continue to spur Ghanaians, from all walks of life, on, to do their conscience well, and conduct themselves appropriately to see a successful closure of this limited voter registration exercise. It is the duty and sacrosanct right of every Ghanaian to raise issues in any matter of suspicion and it is the right of the citizens upon the attending officers of the law to see to it that peace prevails.

We therefore call on Ghanaians to “SHINE YOUR EYES” and refrain from all activities that will undermine the success of this exercise which will have rippling consequential effects on the 2016 presidential and Parliamentary elections.

SGD:

Fadi Samih Dabbousi