Regional News of Saturday, 14 September 2019

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Exhibition Exercise: Ellembelle NDC accuses EC of disenfranchising eligible voters

Electoral Commissioner, Jean Adukwei Mensa Electoral Commissioner, Jean Adukwei Mensa

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ellembelle Constituency of the Western Region is accusing the Electoral Commission (EC) of disenfranchising eligible voters in the area.

The exhibition exercise being held for eight days is taking place in over 30,702 polling stations across the country.

A total of 17 million voters who were registered between 2012 and 2019 are expected to visit their respective polling stations where they will be allowed to confirm or review their details.

The exercise will also afford EC the opportunity to clean up the voters’ register of ghost names and minors. All prospective voters are expected to visit their centres with their voters identification (ID) cards for easy verification.

However, according to the EC, persons who failed to take their ID cards to the exhibition centres would be assisted to verify their details.

But in a statement issued and signed on behalf of the party in Ellembelle by its Director of Elections, John Borfo Mensah, copied to the media, the party says the posture and conduct of Jean Mensa's led Electoral Commission is much appalling and has a potential in destabilizing their cherished electoral gains for the past years.

The statement claims there are irregularities in the exercise and if not checked well, will plunge Ellembelle Constituency into chaos during the upcoming District Assembly Elections and proposed Referendum.

"The Exhibition exercise in Ellembelle are being marred with unnecessary and for that matter serious irregularities which need to be checked in order not to plunge Ellembelle into Chaos on the upcoming District Assembly Election and the proposed Referendum", the statement read.

The statement is also claiming that the Electoral Commission has ommited about 6,200 new registrants from the compiled list submitted in various polling stations.

"Ommission of about 6200 new registrants from the compiled list submitted in various polling stations eg Adubrim (6 FROM 150), Akropong (0-120), Aiyinase North 18 (polling stations(0 from 1400),Ngalekyi (12 from 70) etc", the statement observed.

"Late arrival of Exhibition Materials in 25% of polling stations on the first day, Averagely 3:00pm", the statement added.

The statement concluded that "We are by this release, sending a strong caution to Jean Mensah's led Electoral Commission that any orchestrated attempt applied or expressed will be resisted by a fiercely force within our might".

Below is the full statement

TO ALL MEDIA HOUSES

ATTEMPT BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION TO DISENFRANCHISE ELIGIBLE VOTERS IN ELLEMBELLE CONSTITUENCY

The constituency Executives for National Democratic Congress in Ellembelle takes a strong exception in the manner or ways in which the exhibition exercises is being carried out.

The posture and conduct of Jean Mensah's led Electoral Commission is much appalling, disastrous and has a potential in destabilizing our cherished electoral gains for the past years.

The exhibition exercise in Ellembelle is being marred with unnecessary and for that matter serious irregularities which need to be checked in order not to plunge Ellembelle into chaos on the upcoming District Assembly Elections and the proposed Referendum.

The following are the observations made by the Constituency Executives and Agents on the ground;

1. No work done in 75% of polling stations on the first day Eg. Aiyinase (12 polling stations), Aiyinase North (18 polling stations), Nyamebekyere, Ekokonu, Obengkrom etc

2. Late arrival of Exhibition Materials in 25% of polling stations on the first day, Averagely 3:00pm.

3. Ommission of about 6,200 New Registrants from the compiled list submitted in various polling stations eg Adubrim (6 FROM 150), Akropong (0-120), Aiyinase North 18 (polling stations(0 from 1400),Ngalekyi (12 from 70) etc

4. Low publicity.

We are by this release, sending a strong caution to Jean Mensah's led Electoral Commission that any orchestrated attempt applied or expressed, will be resisted by a fiercely force within our might.

Long Live Ghana!

Long Live John Mahama

Long Live Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah

Long Live NDC

Signed!

JOHN BORFO MENSAH

DIRECTOR OF ELECTIONS, ELLEMBELLE NDC