The Inter-Party Resistance Against a New Voters’ Register (IPRNA) made up of nine political parties, has held a demonstration today, Saturday, 11 January 2020 at Tamale, Northern Region.

The ‘Tikusayi’ demonstration is the first in a series of protests planned by the parties as part of efforts to fight the Electoral Commission’s plan to compile a new register of voters ahead of the December 2020 polls.

Some of the parties involved include the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP), People’s National Convention (PNC), Eagle Party, All Progressives Party (APC), Great Consolidated Population Party (GCPP) and the biggest opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Clad in red, the marchers chanted anti-government and anti-EC songs and slogans as well as held placards with writings such as: ‘Nana Bring Back Nduom not register’, ‘Jean Mensa, your days are numbered’, ‘Mr President, why GHS443 million’ and ‘Ghana needs a new President not new register’ among others.

In a statement issued ahead of Saturday’s demonstration, IRPNA said: “It would be recalled that at the press conference held on Monday, 6 January 2020, we canvassed several cogent reasons against the needless attempt by the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission to compile a new voters’ register for the 2020 elections and outlined a series of protest actions that we will be embarking on to reject same”.

The statement, signed by LOC Chairman Alhaji Ibrahim Mobile, said: “Pursuant to that press conference, the IPRN has been compelled to mobilize the ordinary taxpayer, whose resources are about to be plundered by the EC through this needless and wasteful new register venture, to hit the principal streets of Tamale to protest against this inglorious decision”.

The demonstrators converged on the Jubilee Park (Police Park) at 6 a.m. and marched from there through the Police Roundabout to Prisons Canteen to PK Gombila to Choggu Roundabout to Central Market to Aboaboo Traffic and back to the Police Park.