Prosecute of double registratrants-NPP member

A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Brong-Ahafo Region, has appealed to the Electoral Commission (EC) to swiftly prosecute applicants who registered twice in the first phase of the Biometric Voter Registration Exercise.

While suggesting to the EC to also delete the names of such people from the voters’ register to disenfranchise them, Mr. Frank Opoku Adjapong appealed to the Judiciary to ensure that harsh sentences are meted out to them to deter like-minded people.

Mr. Adjapong told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Sunyani that: “The EC should make sure that all those who engaged in that electoral offence are made to face the full rigours of the law, irrespective of political affiliations."

“The Commission and the Judiciary should also be on guard against attempts by politicians who may intimidate or influence them in the prosecution of culprits.”

Mr. Adjapong said there was still confusion at some registration centers because the EC had been “so tolerant and liberal”, stressing that, if the Commission should fail to bring those detected double registrants to book, the situation would worsen.

He commended the Police for their efforts so far in ensuring that the exercise was peaceful and expressed optimism that they would continue to remain neutral in the discharge of their duties.

Mr. Adjapong said, it was the responsibility of President John Evans Atta Mills and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the NPP, to ensure that the 2012 general election was conducted “in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility”.

“Since the two are the main leaders of the voters and can largely influence them, there is the need for them to call their followers to order,” he said.

Mr. Adjapong advised members of the NPP to comport themselves and exhibit a high sense of political maturity because the party could not defend any member who would misconduct him or herself in the electoral processes.

He called on the leadership of Parliament to ensure members behaved well especially while on the airwaves, saying, “The behaviour of some of our Members of Parliament tend to bring the name of the Third Arm of Government into public ridicule and disrepute.”**