The Election Security Task Force in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality in the Bono East Region has engaged the political parties on the need for a peaceful final phase of the on-going voter registration exercise.
The meeting, held under the auspices of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), was attended by representatives of the ruling New Patriotic Party, National Democratic Congress, Convention People’s Party, and the Ghana Union Movement.
Welcoming the participants, the Atebubu Municipal Director of the NCCE, Mr. Patrick Tampugre, said the meeting was aimed at addressing problems associated with the first five phases of the registration exercise to ensure a smooth final round.
The Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Bright Boafo, enumerated a number of incidents at the various centers, emphasising one which occurred on day two of the exercise at the Atebubu Presbyterian School, and urged people to desist from physically trying to stop others from registering.
He asked non-accredited persons to stop going round registration centers, as such people end up fomenting trouble.
He warned that recalcitrant persons would be dealt with ruthlessly.
The head of the military detachment currently enforcing peace and compliance with the Covid-19 protocols in the Municipality, WO II Robert Batuame, took the gathering through his experiences as a peacekeeper during the Liberia war, and described peace as ‘priceless’.
He recounted a few near-clashes in which he and his men had to intervene during their rounds, which, he said, were avoidable if all decided to abide by the regulations of the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
The Municipal Electoral Officer, Mr. Kenneth Opoku, took the participants through the registration procedures and regulations governing them.
He also touched on the membership and duties of the District Registration Review Committee, as well as issues of illegibility, procedures, and factors that give rise to these challenges.
The parties had the opportunity to make known their observations and concerns, as well as make suggestions for a smooth implementation of the last phase of the exercise.
They agreed among themselves to present names of a maximum of 10 persons each for accreditation by the EC to serve as monitors to prevent unauthorised persons from causing trouble at the registration centers.
There were pieces of advice from the clergy, opinion leaders, and the traditional authorities.
The meeting was chaired by the Zongo Chief of Atebubu, Alhaji Dufailu Moro Osman.
The post Atebubu Election Taskforce engages political parties appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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