Group Storms Buipe Palace to present Case against New Register

An amalgamation of political parties, civil society groups in the Savannah region with the identity “Savannah First” will storm the Yagbonwura’s Palace today 5th June 2020 to request for the Gonja Traditional Council to halt the new voter’s registration process in the Savannah region as many will stand disenfranchised.

Speaking to Bole based Nkilgi FM ahead of their visit to the Yagbonwura’s Palace a Communication Bureau member of the group Mr. Malik Basintale disclosed that a petition signed by the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Alhaji Seidu Imoro, the Chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) Mr. Mahama J. Wanye, Mohammed Amin as well as Mr. Abdul Wahab of the All Peoples Congress (APC), Mr. Adam A. Mahama of the Eagle Party, Mr. Andrew Dokurugu of League of Christian Professionals and Mr. Suadic Musah of the Alliance for Northern Pride will be presented to the Yagbonwura.

Mr. Basintale said their call comes on the back of a letter issued by the National House of Chiefs dated 31st May 2020 signed by Togbe Afede XIV and Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII cautioning the electoral commission on its failure to hold broader consultation on the matter of the new voter’s register and further directing that under no circumstance should any qualified voter be left out of the process.

He explained that they will draw the Yagbonwura’s attention that, the number of indigenes of the Savannah Region that will be left out of the registration process due to the basic documents required to enable them to register, that is, the passport and the Ghana card.

Malik Basintale further said from the data of the National Identification Authority, out of the Savannah regional voter population of about 342,000 only 118,000 were registered with the Ghana card and this means that more than 224,000 were unable to register due to some poor measures suspected to be deliberate on the side of the NIA.

“The NIA admitted to errors in the five (5) Northern regions and in a letter dated 5th October 2019, they apologized for their own misconduct,” Mr. Basintale said.

According to him if the new Voter’s registration is to commence today, a population of about 65% from the Savannah region will automatically be disenfranchised as less than 30% of the population have either Passports or the Ghana Card as required.

The Communication Bureau member of the “Savannah First” Coalition said many national and international Civil society groups such as CODEO, CDD, IMANI-GH, ASEPA, Persons with disability and other distinguished personalities such as Dr. Ibn Chambas, former President John Agyekum Kuffuor among others have cautioned the government not to go on with the new voters register with its current basic requirements as many will be disenfranchised and that has the tendency of plunging the country into Chaos.

“All these have proven not successful as the government together the Jean-Mensah led electoral commission have decided to turn a death ear to all clarion calls”; Malik Basintale said

Below is the full statement

“SAVANNAH FIRST” REGIONAL COALITION AGAINST NEW VOTERS REGISTER.

PETITION TO THE GONJALAND TRADITIONAL COUNCIL REQUESTING A HALT IN THE NEW VOTERS REGISTER AS MANY WILL BE DISENFRANCHISED IN THE SAVANNAH REGION.

The President,
Through: The Vice President
Gonjaland Traditional Council,
Buipe Palace.

We write as an amalgamation of political parties, civil society groups in the Savannah region with identity “SAVANNAH FIRST” requesting your high office, the mighty Gonjaland traditional council to halt the new voters registration process in the Savannah region as many will stand disenfranchised.

Your royal highness, our call comes on the back of a letter issued by the National House of chiefs dated 31st May 2020 signed by Togbe Afede XIV and Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII cautioning the electoral commission on its failure to hold broader consultation on the matter of the new voter’s register and further directing that under no circumstance should any qualified voter be left out of the process.

HRM, we wish to bring to your notice, the number of indigenes that will be left out of the registration process due to the basic documents required to enable them to register. ie. The passport and the Ghana card.

HRM, from the data of the National Identification Authority, out of our regional voter population of about 342,000 only 118,000 were registered with the Ghana card. This means that more than 224,000 were unable to register due to some poor measures suspected to be deliberate on the side of the NIA. The NIA admitted to errors in the five (5) Northern regions and in a letter dated 5th October, 2019, they apologized for their own misconduct.

Your royal highness, if the new Voter’s registration is to commence today, a population of about 65% from the Savannah region will automatically be disenfranchised as we have less than 30% of our population with either Passports or the Ghana Card as required.

HRM, we also wish to bring to your notice, the current coronavirus pandemic that has befallen our nation. As a region we were already battling with crisis such as CSM, Snake bites among others until we recorded our first case of COVID-19 in the region. The crowding at the various limited polling stations by the less than 30% with Ghana cards and passports will fast spread the disease in our region and this will deter others from joining the queues to register and in the end disenfranchising them as a result of the risk factors.

HRM, Other national and international Civil society groups such as CODEO, CDD, IMANI-GH, ASEPA, Persons with disability and other distinguished personalities such as Dr. Ibn Chambas, former President John Agyekum Kuffuor among others have cautioned the government not to go on with the new voters register with its current basic requirements as many will be disenfranchised and that has the tendency of plunging the country into Chaos.

All these have proven not successful as the government together the Jean-Mensah led electoral commission have decided to turn a death ear to all clarion calls.

We pray your high office, as superior leaders of our land, to safeguard the voting rights of your descendants by calling the electoral commission to order as many from the Savannah region will be denied their basic right to vote in the upcoming 2020 election if the new voters register is to be implemented.

We find the current register which was compiled, used and revised since 1992, used in the 2016 election that gave the ruling party a massive victory, used in the recent referendum for the creation of new regions, used in the assembly member elections among others still fit for purpose.
Counting on your usual cooperation.

Thank You.

Signed:

Alhaji Seidu Imoro – NDC Chairman

Mr. Andrew Dokurugu – League of Christian professionals

Mahama J. Wanye- PNC Chairman

Mohammed Amin Abdul Wahab – APC

Adam A. Mahama – Eagle Party

Suadic Musah – Alliance for Northern Pride.

Issued by Communication Bureau:
Malik Basintale