Voters’ Registration: EC Condemns Violence at Centres; Blames Political Parties

The Electoral Commission (EC) has condemned the violence that has marred the voters’ registration exercise in some of its centres across the country.

According to the EC in a press statement issued Monday the violence is perpetuated by political party supporters and sympathizers.

"One of such incidents occurred today [Monday, July 20] at the Step to Christ Voters Registration Centre in the Awutu Senya East Constituency in the Central Region where unidentifiable gunmen attacked officials at the centre and disrupted the process by firing gunshots."

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The Commission condemns such acts during a civil exercise like the Registration of Voters and calls on security agencies to investigate the issue as a matter of urgency to bring the perpetrators to book, it added.

The Commission reminded the public, particularly political party agents, that any person who wishes to challenge an Applicant on the basis of ineligibility must fill a Challenge Form, which will then be presented to the District Registration Review Committee for a ruling on the matter.

 Political Party agents are therefore cautioned against the use of violence to challenge a person’s eligibility.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya East Constituency Hawa Koomson has admitted to being partly responsible for the ‘incident’ at the Step to Christ voters’ registration centre, which led to EC officials fleeing from the premises.

Hawa Koomson confessed to firing a gun at the centre in her constituency, but out of ‘self-defence’.

She accused her opponent of busing people from other places to the registration centre.