Today's news review takes us to the sixth day of the biometric registration exercise as it receives maximum attention from the newspapers. The electoral Commission (EC) will soon come out with a list of the first batch of people who are suspected to have engaged in multiple registration in the ongoing biometric voters registration exercise. Under the headline, Multiple Registration Detected… Culprits to be prosecuted, the Daily Graphic adds that the Chairman of the EC, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, who made this known, stated that the commission would conduct its investigations on the culprits for prosecution.
In a related story, the paper informs us that 6 charged with interfering in registration exercise. Six persons were yesterday put before the Accra Circuit Court charged with two counts of conspiracy and interfering with the ongoing biometric voters registration exercise at Taifa –Dome in Accra. They are Kingsley Awuni a farmer, Kofi Ofori, student Kwabena Boateng driver, Prince Charles Oduro alias soldier, trader, Edward Anato Linkoh student and Zakaria Amid Driver.
The Ghanaian Times in reporting the above story uses the caption 6 'machomen' granted bail. The six machomen, who were arrested for allegedly disrupting the ongoing biometric voters' registration exercise at a registration centre in Accra, were yesterday granted bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 when they were arraigned before an Accra circuit court. Police prosecutors told the court that the six claimed they were recruited by the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency chairman of the New Patriotic Party, to assist NPP members in the area to register.
It is in relation to the development above that the Ashanti Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Samuel Tettey has stated that machomen are not recognized by the commission as peacekeepers for general elections. He has, therefore cautioned emerging macho men associations to stay away from the country's electoral processes to avoid confusion and chaos. This information is covered by the Daily Graphic in the headline "Macho men not recognized as peacekeepers-EC ".
More news on the biometric registration exercise indicates that some Burkinabes have been grabbed in Biometric. Alleged machinations to encourage foreigners in the Ellembelle and Evalue-Gwira constituencies in the Western Region to take part in the ongoing biometric registration exercise have been uncovered. Reliable sources at the two constituencies told Daily Guide that in their bid to get more votes in the December general elections, activists of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) were urging foreigners, mainly Burkinabes and Ivorians working in different plantations in the area ,to register and vote for the ruling party in the December 7.2012 general elections. The paper also informs us that Immigration Officers have stopped Foreigners. As the two main political parties in Ghana, National Democratic Party and New Patriotic Party trade allegations against each for facilitating the registration of foreigners in order to vote for them, personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service at the Misiga Border have confiscated some National Identification cards form some foreigners. These confiscated ID cards goes to prove claims that indeed some foreigners are holding Ghanaian Identification documents, contrary to the laws of the country.
Violence continues to characterize the ongoing exercise as 16 NPP Supporters Slashed At Asunafo. Sixteen Activists of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Sankore, Datano and Nobekaw, all in the Asunafo South District of the Brong Ahafo region have been butchered on the on-going biometric registration exercise in the area. The Daily Guide adds that the fatal incidents, which happened at separate times over the weekend, were reported to have been orchestrated by arms-wielding fanatics of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) who have made the area a 'no –go area' for the main opposition party.
Meanwhile another report indicates that the Offinso DCE, MP Clash. A bloody incident nearly occurred at the Offinso North district police command on Monday afternoon when the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area and the area's Member of Parliament(MP) clashed, Daily Guide has learnt. Report reaching the paper indicate that Mr.Appiah Kubi, the DCE and Hon Collins Ntim, the MP clashed at the police station over a misunderstanding that erupted at a registration center at Nkenkaasu,a town in the district.
In the wake of the violent situations, the Greater Accra branch of the opposition New Patriotic Party has called on the security agencies in the country to exercise a high level of professionalism in the face of current development in the ongoing Biometric Registration Exercise. With the headline "NPP calls for professionalism and fairness on the part of security agencies", The Chronicle reports that according to the party , the registration exercise has been fraught with cases of ''intimidation threats harassment and disruption of queues by elements ( hoodlums) believed to be agents of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) within perceived New Patriotic Party (NPP) strong holds''.
NRSC urges political parties to ensure accident-free campaigns, the Daily Graphic reports, adding that the National Road Commission (NRSC) is asking political party leaders to restrain their followers from careless driving in the 2012 political campaign season. Road crashes have been relatively high during election years since 1992. Statistics available at the NRSC indicate that road accidents in election years have increased from 914 in 1992; to 1,049 in 1996; 2.186 in the 2008 campaign season.
Eligible voters must cooperate with EC –RT Revd Mensah. The Kumasi Metropolitan Archbishop of the Catholic Church Rt Rev. Thomas Kwaku Mensah has urged all eligible voters to fully cooperate with Electoral Commission to make the ongoing biometric voters registration exercise a success, the Daily Graphic states. Launching a project on the ongoing biometric registration exercise in Kumasi on Sunday dubbed, Civic Agenda for Smooth Political Transition(CAST), Archbishop Mensah said it was only when all eligible voters exercise their responsibilities dutifully, that we could deepen democratic governance in the Country.
Closing the chapter on the day's review is a report from the Ghanaian Times that the Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of Education, Dr. George Adjei-Hinneh, has advised teachers not to engage in active partisan political activities. He called on those interested in active partisan politics to resign their appointments.
This daily news review is compiled by African Elections Project (AEP) Media Monitoring Centre, Accra, Ghana.
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