The Head of European Studies at the Department of Political Science in the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo has reacted to the deployment of heavy military personnel to the Banda Constituency among others to prevent some Ghanaians from participating in the ongoing Electoral Commission’s new voter’s registration exercise.
According to the renowned professor of the University of Ghana, there should be no qualms about restricting our voter registration to only Ghanaian nationals.
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“Our borders remain closed and if in the view of government, soldiers must be deployed to assist in enforcing this, so be it. There should be no qualms about restricting our voter registration to ONLY GHANAIANS.” He said. .
In a statement issued by Professor Ransford Gyampo intercepted by Coverghana.com.gh, the professor said he “heard some worrying accounts that, some soldiers are meddling in the registration process, by physically preventing people from registering. I sincerely hope this is false, or an exaggeration, because as professionals, soldiers know that they have no business physically preventing people from registering.”
According to him, there are clear rules and procedures for challenging citizenship and for preventing unqualified people from getting their names on the voters’ roll. If these rules and procedures remain unknown to many, then the Electoral Commission must swiftly move in to socialize all, even as the registration process inches to a close this week.
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He further argued that, Soldiers must stick and limit themselves to the specific instructions of securing our borders, so that non-Ghanaians are prevented from entering the country to register. They must have no role in physically preventing anyone from registering at the registration centers.
“It is only qualified civilian resident Ghanaians in an area, (not soldiers) who can challenge the registration of others. In this regard, the rule is that, anyone who has issues with the eligibility of another person, must not physically prevent, but simply file a complaint. There is an appropriate committee, set up by the Electoral Commission, that has the mandate to investigate and adjudicate on such complaints. This is the peaceful way to go.” He explained.
He laments and expresses worry over action of the military personnel saying “Ignoring the rules and physically preventing people (who also insist they are Ghanaians) from registering, is a recipe for needless tension and confusion.”
