Limited Voter Registration: MCE in near fisticuffs with NDC Anyaa Sowutuom PC - Report

The Municipal Chief Executive of Ga Central Municipal Assembly, Ambrose Tsegah, is alleged to have assaulted the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for the Anyaa Sowutuom constituency, Emmanuel Adotey Allotey.

The incident reportedly occurred during a misunderstanding regarding a group of Odorgonnor Senior High School students who were transported in a school bus [GV-438-16] arranged by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate, Elder Emmanuel Tobinco.

The Ghana Education Service, in a letter dated May 6, 2024, and signed by Prince Agyemang-Duah, the Acting Director of the Schools and Instructions Division had authorised students to have four days off from campus: Tuesday, May 7 to Friday, May 10, 2024, to return home and register to vote.

This decision, as stated by the GES, aligns with the constitutional right of all Ghanaian citizens to participate in the electoral process.

However, video evidence and eyewitness reports indicate that Tobinco, who is also an elder of the Church of Pentecost, disembarked from a bus at the Sowutuom Electoral Commission office, where the limited voter registration is currently taking place.

Ambrose Tsegah, who arrived from his vehicle looking angry, walked towards where the Sowutuom crime officer, ASP Ofosu Mensah, was having a discussion with the two political parties to resolve the issue and reportedly punched Emmanuel Allotey on the chest.

Ambrose Tsegah arrogantly asserted that he was the chairman of the municipal security council and insisted that the students would register regardless of the opposition.

"I am the chairman of the security council in this municipality, and my orders must be followed'

"Anyone who is not happy with the decision should pick a challenge form and fill it out. The students will register as citizens of the state," Tsegah angrily protested.

The physical attack by Ambrose Tsegah on Allotey heightened tensions between supporters of the two political parties. Supporters of the NDC view Tsegah's actions as an attack on their candidate and an attempt to manipulate the voter registration process.

Emmanuel Allotey conveyed that the NDC holds the belief that these students are not local residents, and according to their perspective, the Ghana Education Service judiciously allowed students a one-week vacation to return to their homes for registration purposes.

The students from Odorgonnor SHS were finally escorted to their bus and driven back to school.

In a telephone interview with Ambrose Tsegah, he refuted allegations of assaulting Emmanuel Allotey, stating instead that he had shoved him.

When pressed by the reporter for further clarification on why he shoved Allotey, whom he described as a friend, Tsegah directed the reporter to visit his office.