Ernest Addo writes
Between 1st August and yesterday-04 April, 2020-the National Security outfit has arrested 24 Togo nationals who sneaked into the country to partake in the ongoing voter registration exercise.
Nine (9) of the suspects were arrested last Saturday while twelve (12) more were arrested on Monday August 3rd , 2020 within the Kadjebi in the Akan District of the Volta region, sources within the National Security told this paper.
Yesterday, three persons were arrested in the same area for attempting to register. All the twenty-four persons arrested are in custody while the security agency processes them for court today.
Amongst the many things found on them were Togolese passports and ID cards, and those who had managed to register also had in their possession their newly acquired voter’s registration cards (published).
Recall that National Security operatives, together with Soldiers and Police personnel have been deployed to the various registration centers, especially along the border towns, to ensure that only Ghanaian nationals are allowed to take part in the registration exercise.
The decision was taken against the backdrop consistent reports that non-Ghanaians were forcing their way into the country to get their names onto the voter register.
The voter registration by the Electoral Commission (EC) has entered its sixth and final phase beginning Saturday, August 1, 2020.
The entire registration exercise will end on Thursday, August 6, 2020.
So far, over 12 million voters have been registered in the ongoing exercise which has entered the last but one phase.
As of Sunday, July 26, 12,371,651 persons had been registered across the country; an indication that the Commission would meet its 15 million target.
Although the Electoral Commission has described the registration exercise as smooth as it hopes to meet the 15 million target, the exercise would have been marred but for the vigilance of the security agencies in ensuring that the registration does not capture unqualified persons.
According to the EC, some Nigerians have already been arrested committing the same crime.
Six Nigerians have so far been arrested with one convicted for trying to acquire voters identification card.
Five of the six, according to the EC are in police custody for the same crime.
Intelligence flying in thick and fast is that some Ghanaians who have already registered have been serving as guarantors for other nationals to register making it imperative for the EC to station National Security personnel at the registration centers to ensure the right things are done.
Stay tuned…
