The Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance for Christian Advocacy, Africa, Reverend Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, has observed that though the Electoral Commission (EC) is satisfactorily meting out its duties, some incidents of violence being incited by political perpetrators, is threatening the peaceful and smooth running of the registration processes.
“The challenge is the violent conduct of some of the political party agents and that has marred the beauty of the registration processes, we are having complaints about busing of people to register and that has been a major source of tension and conflict,” he lamented.
A preliminary report by the group has cited political actors within political space, perpetrators of violence and tension in ongoing voters’ registration exercise through continuous manipulation of processes.
Comprising about 100 pastors from various denominations, Alliance for Christian Advocacy, Africa, has been accredited by EC to monitor registration processes in six regions include Greater Accra, Eastern, Volta, Bono, Ashanti and Northern ahead of final findings at end of exercise, observations made so far revealed growing tensions and violence at centres in the regions.
According Rev Dr Opuni-Frimpong, “these happenings, largely stem from interferences by political actors in the two major parties, New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the processes, there is interference of processes by some Members of Parliament, Ministers of State and party officials.
“Instead of filling the complaints forms as directed by EC, they are choosing those they will register and those they will not, others even go to extent of blocking entry routes by not allowing people to alight from vehicles and buses, because they have been bussed by others.
“The violence at the centres includes insults, beating and destruction of properties, use of guns, knives, machetes, need for immediate action by law enforcement agencies to avert exacerbation of situation and subsequent translation into upcoming general election and you ask yourself what will happen when we get to December for the elections.
“If we don’t respond to it, we are nurturing challenge that will grow its face, the youth must refrain from serving as puppets who will be exploited by politicians for their selfish interests and claim their genuine political space in electoral processes and refuse to be used as mere tools of violence by indecent politicians,” Rev Dr Opuni-Frimpong bemoaned. –ghanaweb.com
