EC condemns chaos at Awutu Senya registration centre

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The Electoral Commission (EC) has condemned the disturbances at the voter registration center in the Awutu Senya East Constituency in the Central Region.

The Commission in a statement said some of its officials were attacked by men who disrupted the registration process by firing shots on Monday, July 20, 2020.

The electoral management body is therefore calling on the police to ensure justice prevails.

“The Commission condemns such acts during a civil exercise like the Registration of Voters and calls on security agencies to investigate the issue as a matter of urgency to bring the perpetrators to book.

“These acts constitute a breach of the Vigilante and Related Offenses Act, 2019 Act 999. The Act seeks to disband violent activities of Political Parties and makes political vigilantism an offense punishable by a prison term,” the Commission said in a statement.

The commission further called on the public “to condemn the violence and urges all eligible voters to turn out in their numbers to register to vote in the 2020 General Election.”

Four persons arrested in connection with the shooting incident are assisting with investigations.

The National Democratic Congress in the Awutu Senya East constituency accused the MP of the area, Mavis Hawa Koomson, of being behind the shooting.

Find below the full EC statement:

EC CONDEMNS VIOLENCE AT ITS REGISTRATION CENTRES

The Electoral Commission has noted with concern some acts of violence at some Registration Centres across the country in the form of physical and verbal attacks on its Officials. The violence is perpetrated by Political Party supporters and sympathizers.

One of such incidents occurred today at the Step to Christ Voters Registration Centre in the Awutu Senya East Constituency in the Central Region where unidentifiable gunmen attacked Officials at the Centre and disrupted the process by firing gunshots.

The Commission condemns such acts during a civil exercise like the Registration of Voters and calls on security agencies to investigate the issue as a matter of urgency to bring the perpetrators to book.

These acts constitute a breach of the Vigilante and Related Offenses Act, 2019 Act 999. The Act seeks to disband violent activities of Political Parties and makes political vigilantism an offense punishable by a prison term.

The Commission reminds the public, particularly Political Party agents, that any person who wishes to challenge an Applicant on the basis of ineligibility must fill a Challenge Form, which will then be presented to the District Registration Review Committee for a ruling on the matter. Political Party agents are therefore cautioned against the use of violence to challenge a person’s eligibility.

The Commission calls on the public to condemn the violence and urges all eligible voters to turn out in their numbers to register to vote in the 2020 General Election.

Source: Daily Mail GH