4 August 2008
editorial
Even though the voters' registration exercise is just half way, there are several reports from all corners of the country about violence and alleged registration of minors. So far, the hottest spot has been the Tamale metropolis where gunshots were even fired last Friday to scare away voters.
At the centre of the whole caboodle is the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP), who continue to trade accusations and counter accusations over registration of minors and accompanying violence. The Chronicle finds the attitude of the two leading political parties to be very worrisome and therefore calls on both the Christian and Moslem Councils and other peace loving groups to bring these two political parties to order, before they plunge this country into chaos.
Whilst NDC leadership in both Central and Ashanti regions are accusing NPP of attempting to bus students from Kumasi to their weakest constituencies to register, the later is also accusing the former of registering minors. The Chronicle does not think the political parties can take this country to ransom. If a political party is breaching the electoral laws, the national constitution has made provisions on how to handle such cases, but it appears NPP and NDC are not respecting this constitutional procedure.
Ghana is not a lawless state for the NPP and NDC to allow their supporters to behave the way they are doing. It will be wrong for us to assume that the turmoil in our neighbouring countries cannot happen in Ghana too. Though it is a serious offence for a political party to register minors to vote in an election, it would be wrong for a political party to also allow its supporters to storm a registration centre to fire gunshots in retaliation. These two incidents, if not stopped as early as possible, can lead to serious disturbances in the country.
To avoid the escalation of violence, The Chronicle suggests that the EC should demand birth certificates from anyone who is suspected to be below 18 years. If the person appears to be a minor in the sight of agents of political parties at the registration centres, but he or she can produce birth certificate to support his or her age, the person must be allowed to register. Of course, we are aware that not all citizens can produce birth certificates but it would at least help to minimise the current tension.
We also call on the Ministry of Local Government to put measures in place that would allow any child born in every corner of this country to be registered at the Birth and Death Registry. The Ministry can fall on the assembly members who know people in their electoral areas to carry out this exercise. Immediately a child is born, the assembly member or unit committee member must be informed for him to also take the necessary steps to register the child.
If we begin to do this and get proper national data, it would help the country to avoid the alleged registration of minors in future elections.
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