The Inter-party Resistance against the New Voter’s Register has resumed its mass action in protest of the compilation of a new voters’ register, a few days after calling off its planned demonstration exercises.
This is as a result of what it says is the bad faith shown by the Electoral Commission (EC) in announcing a date for the mass registration despite a planned meeting with the Eminent Advisory body of the EC over the raging controversy.
In a statement signed by Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Mornah, the group said it would hit the streets again and continue with other planned activities to resist the compilation of the register.
“In view of the conduct of the EC, the Resistance wishes to announce our inability to oblige with the earlier announcement of the momentary suspension of our public manifestations and further declare that, we shall proceed with the series of mass actions earlier outlined. We shall in due course announce the form, venue and dates for such actions to drum home further the need to speedily drop this dangerous and wasteful thought of compiling a new register.”
Last Monday, the group suspended all demonstration exercises across the country to await the outcome of an appeal they made to the EC’s Eminent Advisory Committee over what it says was out of respect for the committee which had earlier called for calm.
But in the statement to declaring the resumption of the mass action, the group said it believes the EC is taking the anger of Ghanaians for granted.
“The Inter-party Resistance Against the New Voter’s Register decries the act of bad faith expressed by the Electoral Commission in the syndicated publication of the date for the commencement of the new voter’s registration exercise.”
Aside from the NDC, the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voter Register is made up Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Convention People’s Party (CPP), People’s National Convention (PNC), Eagle Party, All People’s Party (APC) and Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP).
The coalition has already held a protest in Tamale dubbed “Tikusayi demo” and another one in Kumasi known as the Yennpini demo.
The group maintains that GHS390 million approved to be spent on the register and a new Biometric Voter Management System (BVMS) will be a waste of taxpayer money.
Voter registration not compulsory, you can boycott it – John Boadu to NDC
General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party, John Boadu, has dared the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to boycott the voter registration exercise yet to be conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) if it is indeed against the compilation of a new register.
According to John Boadu, the NDC is being disingenuous in its opposition to the new register.
“While demonstrating, they [NDC] are [also] motivating their people to go out there and register. So, the good people of this country shouldn’t be deceived. We are waiting for the Electoral Commission to come out with the days and plan for the movement of their machines and the periods for the registration exercise for us to get ourselves registered. If the NDC believes in what they are saying, they should boycott it when it gets to the registration date. Election or registration is not compulsory in this country,” he said.
