NPP, NDC set up machineries to resist intimidation

Accra, Aug. 5, GNA - The ruling New Patriotic Party and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Tuesday set-out to resist any intimidation and violence directed at their supporters. Whilst the NPP says, as an incumbent party, they will employ all legitimate means to deal with any such acts of lawlessness and intimidation coming from any quarters, the NDC on the other hand asks it supporters nationwide to also use all legitimate means to resist any attempt to oppress them.

In separate statements made available to the Ghana News Agency in Accra signed by Nana Ohene Ntow, NPP General Secretary and Mr Koku Anyidoho, Head, of NDC Election 2008 Campaign Team the two leading parties accused each other of perpetrating the violence and intimidation.

The NDC explained that posture was in the wake of the plethora of facts that have reached the Office of its Flag bearer and former Vice President Professor John Evans Atta Mills, regarding the untoward acts characterizing the on-going registration exercise. The NDC therefore urged its supporters to steadfastly hold on to the words of the national anthem and resist all forms of oppression that will come their way from the NPP and its operatives.

"We are commending our foot soldiers and well-meaning Ghanaians who have so far resisted the oppressive acts of the NPP and its agents, and we assure them that they have the full backing of the Leader of the NDC to continue to be valiant and resilient in making sure that the NPP does not turn our democracy on its head," the statement said. The statement said the NDC is very much aware of the extent to which the NPP, in its desperate attempt to hang on to power by any means possible, in view of the strong clamour for change and a "Better Ghana" by majority of Ghanaians, is abusing the nation's democratic dispensation.

"We are aware of the bus loads of NPP people who have moved to NDC strongholds like the Atti Mokwa constituency in the Central Region, as well as Ejura Sekyeredumase and New Edubiase in the Ashanti Region, to go and register there in an attempt to up the NPP's numbers in those areas.

"We are also aware of bus loads of people who entered Elubo from Cote d'Ivoire to be registered but were prevented from doing so by vigilant NDC foot soldiers.

"We are also aware of the way settlers in the Atti Mokwa constituency and some other constituencies are being harassed and being prevented from registering," the NDC stated. Other areas the NDC alleged the NPP was intimidating or tampering with the registration processes are Agona, in the Ahanta West constituency, South Tongu constituency as well as a number of constituencies, where it claimed people are being prevented from registering with the excuse that the cameras are not functioning properly.

"Indeed, nationwide, stories abound, with facts, as the desperate attempts by the NPP to get minors and non-Ghanaians to have their names on the voters register," according to the NDC, has reached unacceptable heights.

The NDC also alleged that that NPP had unleashed its operatives in the Central Region to populate the register with people who neither hail from the place nor live there.

The NDC therefore called on the Religious Bodies and Civil Society Organization to speak out and condemn all unacceptable electoral acts; "no matter which angle it is emanating from, before it is too late". The party claimed that there is ample evidence that Ghana's democracy is being raped and abused and it must not be allowed to continue because what is happening is a recipe for chaos. The NPP General Secretary Nana Ohene Ntow, on the other hand said the party has been confronted with some worrying trend to prevent minors from registration; "as on a number of occasions, when our party agents at some registration centres attempted to collect challenge forms in order to get clarification on the age or citizenship of some prospective voters, agents, officials and some members of NDC openly confronted our agents and officials.

"NDC operatives confronted our officials from challenging the citizenship of people who could not speak any Ghanaian language nor had residence in the constituency, but had been brought for registration," Nana Ohene Ntow stated.

Some of the places includes; Osei Kwadwokrom, Yametwa, Kaase all in the Bia Constituency of the Western Region, Tamale in the Northern Region, Ketu South, Anlo, Ho West and East in the Volta Region and in several other centres nationwide.

Nana Ohene Ntow said: "We have reports of the NDC organizing and supervising the registration of minors, sometimes under the circumstances of indifference or apparent weakness on the part of the registration officials."

The NPP noted that its concern about the violence act which is charactering the registration exercise in certain places. Nana Ohene Ntow said: "Even more serious concern is the fact that such violence was being orchestrated by the NDC in places they considers as NPP strongholds."

The NPP said it takes particular exception to the NDC's penchant for violence and intimidation of their political opponents.,"we want to send a strong signal to the NDC that while we as the incumbent party will continue to observe the rules of the game and respect the rule of law, we will not countenance any intimidation and violence directed at our supporters."

The NPP called on the security agencies and the EC to thoroughly investigate any complaints, irrespective of whoever is making them with the view to establishing the facts and take appropriate actions in order to protect the integrity of the whole electoral process. 05 Aug. 08