Ashanti Regional Chairman of NPP, Wontumi
The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, has advised Ghanaians who are eligible to take part in the ongoing voters’ registration exercise against aiding foreigners to get their names on the electoral roll.
According to him, these foreigners are the people who use the country’s voter ID cards to commit crimes at embassies and other recognized agencies to tarnish the image of Ghana.
Chairman Wontumi, as he is popularly called, has therefore charged the citizenry to protect the national identity of Ghana and themselves by reporting any wrongdoing to the security services.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana started the compilation of a new voters register yesterday, and the NPP Chairman says he expects the exercise to be the most peaceful among all of such similar ones held in the past.
Military presence
According him, since the country is compiling a ‘Ghana voters’ register’ and not ‘West Africa or Africa voters’ register’, military men have been placed at the various boarders to protect and ensure maximum security.
Mr Antwi Boasiako, who was speaking to the media, explained that the military have always been at post to defend the country and are not at the various borders to intimidate anybody.
“But as the security agencies are working so hard, we’re also very vigilant and no one can do what they like. We are ready to assist the police to do their work diligently in the interest of the country in these times,” he said.
He warned foreigners who have the intention to breach the laws of the country to have a rethink, warning that they would not be spared if caught.
“We know ourselves as indigenes of our various communities and we also know those who are 18 years. They are our own children, hence we’ll resist attempts by foreigners to register,” he stated.
Security
For his part, the Ashanti Regional Minister, who is also the Chairman of the Regional Security Council, Simon Osei-Mensah, stated that they are using the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies as backup throughout the exercise, adding that no ‘machomen’ would be allowed at any of the centres to create chaos.
He warned that no one should go to a centre with a weapon of any sort or motorbike, urging the people to also comply with the Covid-19 safety protocols.
COP Kwasi Mensah-Duku, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, also emphasised that the law is there to deal with troublemakers, cautioning those who send people out to cause mayhem to watch out for the law.
He disclosed that a patrol team would always be dispatched to the various centres to ensure the safety of the people and for a smooth exercise.
