The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Hohoe Constituency of the Volta region says the processes leading to the 2024 general elections are as crucial to the Party just as the actual day of election.
The Party said it would not tolerate any form of chaos leading to and on the day of elections and was prepared to deal unfeelingly with anyone thought to be messing up with the electoral processes in the Constituency.
Mr Prosper Kumi, Constituency Secretary of the Party, during a press conference in Hohoe, said the Party would monitor and police the upcoming limited voter registration from May 7 to May 27, 2024, in the Constituency.
He said the action aimed at ensuring that no foreigners were allowed to register in the Constituency, including people from adjoining communities, constituencies and neighbouring countries.
Mr Kumi said the Party would also not tolerate any form of manipulation from any registration officer by padding the system through the vote transfer process since they would verify every single individual who would want to get onto the roll by the process by law, as stated in Constitutional Instrument (C.I) 126 and as amended in C.I 91.
He said every individual who would register and be transferred into the Constituency must be present in person and satisfy every requirement of the law, adding that no individual, dead or alive would be replaced in the register secretly.
Mr Kumi said the Constituency currently had 126 polling stations and for every polling station, the Party had details of how each looked like in terms of numbers in each register and the individuals that made up the numbers.
He said the Electoral Commission (EC) document; “2023 Voters Register Codebook” used for the just ended District Level Elections supported the Party’s claim, adding that the total registered voters in the Constituency stood at 63,786.
Mr Kumi said the Party advised individuals, who under the laws are not qualified or met the requirements ahead of the limited registration exercise in the Constituency, to stay away because the NDC would resist any attempts to register foreigners into the electoral register.
He said the Party would also not tolerate any manipulations from the recruitment process, especially returning officers and deputy returning officers for the EC to the service process in the Constituency.
Mr Kumi said the Party had a concern about the EC’s mobile registration exercise centre cited at Wli Todzi R.C Primary School, which would disadvantage more people.
“We respect the fact that the community also needs it but comparing numbers that will need these services, it will be best for the activity to be cited at a centre where all can have equal access to the registration centre.”
Mr Kumi said the Party had noted with concern some anomalies detected in the Constituency registers in relation to transfers done into Hohoe for the 2020 elections where strangers were all found in the register through the process.
He said the Party would want to encourage all first-time registrants to come out to register and vote for Mr Thomas Worlanyo Tsekpo as well as Mr John Mahama’s 24-hour economic policy, adding that regaining the Parliamentary seat was a communal labour.
Mr Kumi said the Party regaining the Seat meant a push for the completion of the UHAS permanent campus in Fodome to provide jobs, establishment of an Islamic School complex from KG to Senior High school in Hohoe Zongo and local football in all the traditional areas to hunt for talents.
He said it would also push for the early completion of the Eastern Corridor Road, establishment of a technical tertiary institution in Alavanyo and an extra vocational institution in Gbi, facilitate recruitment process into security services, health and educational sectors for the youths, and good credit facilities for women from the John Mahama Women’s Bank for their businesses.
