Closing land borders ahead of elections disenfranchises Ghanaians – Kwesi Pratt

Veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt has voiced his concerns regarding the temporary closure of all land borders in Ghana, a measure announced by the Ministry of Interior to safeguard the integrity of the December 7 general elections.

Mr. Pratt fears that this decision will disenfranchise many Ghanaians of their legitimate right to vote.

“To start with the closure of land borders, I’m really astonished. It doesn’t seem to make any sense at all because all of us know as a fact that there are Ghanaians in the thousands who are resident in Togo and Côte d’Ivoire. What is this closure meant to achieve?” he questioned on TV3’s Ghana Decides programme on Friday night.

He further expressed his worry about the announcement by the Interior Minister, emphasizing that it would disenfranchise many Ghanaians.

“We have 10 hours to an election, and I’m deeply worried about the situation in which ministers who are card-bearing members of a political party are taking security decisions. Because I would have thought that we set up this election security committee, headed by the IGP and so on, as a means of distancing political party activists from being in charge of security,” he added.

Pratt also highlighted that the Ashanti Regional Minister and the Interior Minister have issued worrying security decisions.

 

#GhanaDecides2024: I am worried about the closure of all land borders because it will disenfranchise many Ghanaians of their legitimate right to vote. – Kwesi Pratt#ElectionCommandCentre pic.twitter.com/bHlRBEoGoc

— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) December 6, 2024

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Background

The Ministry of Interior announced a temporary closure of all land borders across Ghana as part of efforts to safeguard the integrity of the December 7 general elections. The directive, which takes immediate effect, will remain in force until 6:00 pm on Sunday, December 8, 2024.

According to the Interior Ministry, the measure aims to ensure a secure and peaceful electoral process while preventing any unauthorized movements that could disrupt the elections. In a statement, the Ministry urged citizens and travelers to comply with the directive and cooperate with State Security Agencies tasked with enforcing the closure.

#GhanaDecides2024: I have serious concerns about the way security choices are being made by ministers who are also party card-bearers. – Kwasi Pratt#ElectionCommandCentre pic.twitter.com/96CZwkxKch

— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) December 7, 2024

“The Ministry urges all citizens and travelers to and from Ghana to cooperate with State Security Agencies enforcing this directive,” the statement said.

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