4 August 2008
This year's Voters' registration exercise in the Tamale Metropolis has turned into a "blood shedding battle" between supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Leaders of NDC and NPP have openly employed the services of "thugs" to man the registration centres to ensure that nobody challenges people suspected to be minors. A wholesale registration of minors is on and the two main parties appear to be guilty.
At the moment, members of the NDC have decided not to allow any NPP official or agent to observe or monitor the registration exercise at any of the centres located in NDC dominated areas and the same applies to NPP dominated areas.
Any group or party officials from either side who defies the system and tries to visit a centre belonging to the opponent is beaten up, stoned or chased away.
This has therefore paved way for massive minor registration without any challenge from any political party or electoral officers. The police, who have lost control over the situation, apparently for fear of coming under mob attack, have virtually become observers at the various centres. Several people from both NDC and NPP have been severely beaten with their vehicles and motorbikes destroyed.
The violence, associated with the exercise has led to the closure of three centres by the Electoral Commission (EC), including Moshie Zongo, Unity Primary and Legion Electoral Areas.
In the full glare of the security personnel and other election observers, some youth leaders of both NDC and NPP were spotted by The Chronicle conveying and leading some little boys and girls to the registration centres.
There are some allegations that the Mayor of Tamale, Mohammed Adam Amin-Anta, in the company of the National Youth Organiser John Boadu, Regional NPP Chairman, Yakubu Adoo and other supporters who could not tolerate the violent tactics being employed by the NDC at the United Primary also known as Kulikuli school centre, stormed the place and confiscated the registration materials.
An incident occurred at the Legion centre, where the Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini was named by several sources to have led a group of attackers to scatter the place to also prevent the opposing parties from registering minors. On Saturday afternoon, some NPP members, including the
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