Crack whip on registration criminal offenders — CODEO
The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has urged security agencies in the country to deal with anyone who engages in “registration criminal offence”.
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According to CODEO, the security agencies did their best in quelling the chaos and skirmishes which characterised the first phase of the Electoral Commission's Limited biometric voter registration exercise, but they need to “intensify their surveillance” as the second phase of the exercise moves to its completion.
This was contained in the recommendation of CODEO’s 2nd Situational Report on the ongoing limited biometric voter Registration exercise.
Based on reports from CODEO observers stationed in registration centres across the country, the coalition said it had noted disturbing developments at some registration centers, which could mar the integrity of the registration exercise if left unchecked.
The situational report signed by its National Coordinator, Mr Albert Arhin, said it was important for the security agencies to intensify their surveillance of registration centres, especially those with a history of violence.
Weapons
Touching on some of the incidents, CODEO said it observed that some persons wielding "cutlasses, stones, cudgels and other offensive weapons” wounded one person at the Kukuom-Achiase Registration Centre in the Asunafo North District of the Brong Ahafo Region.
It explained that the incident started with verbal exchanges between the District Chief Executive for the area (who happened to be at the centre) and the NPP agents posted at the same centre over the age of a registration applicant.
The report also said, “unauthorised party supporters and members of the public” loitered around registration centres in different parts of the country” to serve as guarantors for registrants who share party affinity.
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CODEO maintained that many of the things which took place at some of the registration centres could have been avoided had political parties and the public obeyed the law governing the exercise.
It called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to monitor its team of registration officials to ensure that their conducts do not foment trouble at various centres.
The coalition also said the pockets of violence and disturbances during the exercise could mar the integrity of the registration exercise if left unchecked.
Misunderstanding of the challenge procedure
The report also cited instances of party agents and party activists engaging in verbal exchanges and violent confrontation over the eligibility of registrants, even after a challenge form has been filled in respect of the registrants.
It said at the R/C Primary School Registration Centre in Banda Ahenkro in the Banda District of the Brong Ahafo Region, for instance, NPP party agents’ challenge against some 3 registrants provoked a violent confrontation with suspected NDC activists in the vicinity.
CODEO further urged political parties, particularly the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the NPP, to restrain their respective agents and activists from engaging in disruptive and violent behaviour at registration centres.
It also made a case for the EC to increase the supply of registration centres in densely populated areas of the country to give all eligible citizens the opportunity to register to vote in the 2016 polls.
According to the coalition, the inadequacy of registration centers in some densely populated areas, hampered the ability of some potentially eligible persons to register.
It cited the Legon Hall Registration Centre in the Legon Electoral Area in Ayawaso in the Greater Accra region for example, where CODEO observers reported long queues of hundreds of people waiting to register.
“With the registration team capturing an average of about 100 persons a day, the Coalition is afraid that the EC may deprive some otherwise eligible persons from registering before the end of the exercise,” it said.
Abuse of registration procedures
It also reported instances where Registration Officials allowed people to endorse guarantor forms early in the morning and depart from the centre, even before registration had commenced.
“These forms were subsequently used to support the registration of applicants. This situation was observed, for example, at the T. B. Awakorme Registration Centre in the Avoeme West Electoral Area in the Ketu South District of the Volta Region, “it said.
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Presence of unauthorised persons
CODEO observers also reported seeing unauthorised party supporters and members of the public loitering around registration centres in different parts of the country.
“Some of them have closely positioned themselves around registration centres, with the sole purpose of serving as guarantors for registrants who share party affinity.
“For instance, at the Accra Girls Secondary School Registration Centre in the Mamobi East Electoral Area in Ayawaso in the Greater Accra region on Thursday, CODEO observers spotted NDC-branded vehicles loaded with people who appeared to be serving as guarantors for would-be registrants.
At the R/C 2 Hwidiem Osuodumgya A JHS Registration Centre in the Santeagya Electoral Area in the Asutifi South District of the Brong Ahafo Region, unauthorised persons had gathered around the registration centre ostensibly to vouch for applicants,” it said.
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