Prof. Mills debunk registration rumours

Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Presidential Candidate of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Thursday debunked registration propaganda that the on-going voters' registration exercise was for only one particular party.
He said: "It is a dirty and cheap propaganda weapon adopted by the enemies of democracy to deprive the citizenry of their constitutional right to participate in elections either as a candidate or a voter."
Prof. Mills, who was speaking to newsmen after visiting some registration centres in the Korley Klottey and Ledzokuku Constituencies for first hand information on the exercise, condemned the action, describing it as a morally corrupt practice by disgruntled politicians and their collaborators to derail and steal the mandate of the people.
The NDC Presidential Candidate, who was mobbed by residents of the communities visited, called on all democratic forces to be vigilant and to expose "the enemies of the people. "We must all play it fairly to be proud winners and not to win through foul means and be condemned by our conscience."
The Former Vice President said the current registration exercise was a totally new programme for all Ghanaian citizens, who had attained the age of 18 years and above, of sound mind and that political affiliation had nothing to do with the registration.
"In fact you are not to disclose your political affiliation. Any agent or registration officer who questions a potential voter of his or her political colour must be condemned."
Prof. Mills urged people living in the rural areas to be vigilant and not fall for the cheap propaganda, "you must all pour out in your numbers and register as that is the only means to vote out the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and replace it with an NDC Government".
He said a clean and accurate Voters' Register was the fundamental ingredient for free and fair elections and urged the Electoral Commission (EC), Political Parties, Civil Society Organizations and other stakeholders to monitor the exercise closely.
On the issue of communities that had refused to register, Prof. Mills urged such communities to reconsider their decision and fully participate in the exercise, saying: "The surest way for registering a democratic protest is to participate in the process and vote against those who stand in your way.
"You cannot stay outside and fight, get your name on the voters list and vote out the enemy to your progress at the December polls." During the visit the young, elderly and the aged poured out to greet Prof. Mills and urged him on to wrest power from the ruling NPP to save them from the suffering, which they said had been imposed on them by the Government.
Some of them were waving party flags, handkerchief cloth and shouting: "Papa Nii baa he wo eee" (Papa Nii come and save us) and "Shia-tse eba eee!" (The Landlord has come).
Prof. Mills urged all to participate in the registration exercise to enable them to contribute to the decision-making process in the country.