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Politics of Tuesday, 27 March 2012

Source: GNA

Nkrumah flats Registration officials appeal for protection

Registration officials at the Nkrumah Flats at Larterbokorshie in Accra have appealed to the Electoral Commission (EC) and the security services to provide them with sufficient protection to ward off unscrupulous political party members.

“Their continuous presence at our registration centre is not only disruptive to the exercise, but also endangers our lives as they periodically engage in arguments which normally result in insults and hostile responses.”

Miss Paulina Mamley, Registration Officer in-charge of Special Duties at the centre, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that most of the people believed to be coming from Zongo-Junction, Abossey Okai and Flamingo areas spend the whole day arguing over NDC and NPP until they close.

She said the people numbering over 20 are usually on motor-bikes which fuse and loud engine sound disturb the peace and orderliness of the biometric registration exercise at the centre.

She said: “I believe they are disturbing here because there are no security men and we will be happier if the EC and Police service provide us with some men to halt this harassment,

Sometimes, they even rush to our tables disrupting us with unnecessary questions and we think in the interest of the people here, the provision of the Police will stem the disturbances.”

GNA’s interaction with some of the people revealed that they had no business at the Flats and at the Registration Centre, but only to create confusion in the area.

While a lot of them had party emblems embossed on their motorbikes, others were seen openly arguing as to which party would win in the forthcoming elections in December.

The GNA witnessed an argument among the supporters, where the NDC supporters said they would continue to win elections until 2032, while NPP supporters retorted that President Mills was going to set a record in the Fourth republic as the only President to have had a one term (four years).

Meanwhile, some of the people have also criticized the registration officials for closing earlier than the stipulated 1800 hours closing time.

Miss Mamley explained to the GNA that they do not close, but stop admitting people after 1700 hours in order to finish processing the particulars of those they had registered before 1800 hours.

“If we do not stop them at that time, we shall end up closing after 1900 hours”, she concluded.**