Regional distribution
of ballot papers begins - EC
Opposition political
parties may co-operate in event of second round
Divestiture is meant to dispose of
liabilities – Agbodo
Parties promise to respect code of conduct
Peaceful transition will enhance Ghana's
stature - US envoy
EGLE condemns use of children in NPP advert
Alliance will form
government on credible mandate – Mills
Mass transfer of
voters in Nadowli
Police investigate woman's death
Police hunt for
security guard on the run with 40million cedis
Security personnel asked to be role models
at polls
CPP candidate spells out agenda for
Choggu-Tishegu constituency
Three new DCEs sworn into office
B/A REGSEC orders re-opening of Chris FM
MP calls for vigilant to prevent NDC from
rigging elections
NPP says electoral malpractice uncovered
Effutu NPP accuses police, electoral officer
of condoning malpractice
Regional
distribution of ballot papers begins - EC
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November
2000
The Electoral Commission on
Wednesday started the regional distribution of ballot papers for the
presidential and parliamentary elections slated for December 7.
In a letter to political parties,
Mr Albert Kofi Arhin, EC Director of Elections, appealed to them to inform
their regional executives to monitor the exercise.
Mr Arhin said party officials are
allowed to follow the materials from the publishing houses to the EC warehouses
and other distribution points but the cost involved should be borne by them.
The Ghana News Agency on a visit
to the Ghana Publishing Corporation, one of the companies printing the ballot
papers, found officials and party agents busily checking their final records.
Agents of all the political
parties, except the United Ghana Movement (UGM) and the Great Consolidated
Popular Party (GCPP), were present.
According to them the GCPP
representative who claimed to be a parliamentary candidate, was refused
accreditation because he failed to provide party membership identity.
All the party representatives
expressed satisfaction with the printing, security measures and efficiency of
personnel of the publishers.
The printing of ballot papers for
the December elections started on November 1 amidst tight security as the
Electoral Commission stepped up preparations for the election.
Representatives of the contesting
parties joined a team of securitymen from the Bureau of National
Investigations, the Police Panther Unit, EC and GPC securitymen for the
exercise.
The state-owned Ghana Publishing
Corporation (GPC) is printing 117,095 booklets of the presidential ballot
papers while IKAM, a private company, is in charge of the parliamentary vote.
The regional distribution,
according to GPC officials, are as follows: Greater Accra, 19,587; Eastern
Region, 13,114; Volta Region, 10,794; Ashanti Region, 21,557; Brong Ahafo
Region, 11,588; Central Region, 9,553; Western Region, 11,852; Northern Region,
10,311; Upper West Region, 3,444; and Upper East Region, 5,296.
Each booklet has 100 ballot
papers.
The order of presidential
candidates on the ballot papers will in accordance with positions obtained in a
draw by the political parties.
The Great Consolidated Popular
Party (GCPP) comes first followed by the National Democratic Congress (NDC),
Convention People's Party (CPP), People's National Convention (PNC), United
Ghana Movement (UGM), National Reform Party (NRP) and the New Patriotic Party
(NPP). It will include the names and
photographs of the candidates and their party symbols.
The order of the parliamentary
elections is as follows: NDC, CPP, PNC, UGM, NRP and NPP (except Ablekuma
Central in Greater Accra, Effutu in the Central Region and Navrongo Central in
the Upper East Region where the GCPP filed nominations).
The symbols of independent
parliamentary candidates will follow those of the party representatives. The
GPC adopted a two-shift system for all personnel involved in the printing. One
batch starts from 0600 to 1800 hours while the other batch starts from 1800
hours to 0600 hours.
At the end of every shift, the
number of ballot papers printed is recorded and endorsed by party
representatives and GPC officials.
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Opposition
political parties may co-operate in event of second round
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November
2000
Opposition political parties may
co-operate to wrest power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) if
the December 7 presidential poll runs into a second round of voting.
Speaking in separate interviews
with the Ghana News Agency, leaders of the various political parties expressed
confidence in winning the elections at the first round. However, they were
quick to point out that in the event of a second round, they will not hesitate
to co-operate with each other.
Mr Daniel Botwe, General Secretary
of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said his party has taken note of the high
signals of a possible second round of voting this year. "It is widely
acclaimed that if the need arises for a second round the incumbent will be one
of the two candidates, which will run. But for us it is not very clear which
parties are likely to contest if there was a second round," he said.
Under the constitution, the winner
of the presidential ballot should have 50 per cent plus one of the votes cast.
In the event of no candidate hitting that magic number, the top two candidates
will contest in a run-off after 21 days. There are seven candidates contesting
the ballot.
Mr Botwe said the NPP is prepared
to support any opposition party, which gets the chance to run in a possible
second round, provided that party runs against the ruling NDC.
He said there have been talks
between the opposition parties on various issues of co-operation in the run-up
to the elections including a joint effort to wrest power from the NDC if there
should be a second round.
Mr Botwe, however, explained that
such co-operation should not be mistaken for a merger of the minority political
parties. "We shall still remain as individual political parties with
similar programmes to transform the economy."
Mr Cletus Kosiba, running mate of
Mr Goosie Tanor of the National Reform Party (NRP), said there is co-operation
among the opposition political parties at the Joint Action Committee (JAC)
level with the view to having a possible common front in the event of a second
round of voting.
"I must, however, say that
the NRP is confident of its chances of winning the December 7 elections at the
first round," he said. "We have therefore not taken any specific
decisions as a party to give our support to any party in a second round."
He said even if that should be the
case, such a decision would only be taken after the first round of elections.
Dr Nii Noi Dowuona, General
Secretary of the Convention People's Party (CPP), said his party considers
co-operation among the opposition parties as the wisest thing to do in the
event of a second round of voting.
He said it is incumbent on the
leadership of all political parties to seek the co-operation of another in a
possible second round "because whether we do or not, our supporters are
going to vote anyway."
"Even if we do not get the
chance to participate in the event of a run-off, we intend to hold discussions
with the party which has similar economic, social and political programmes as
ours within the 21 days for the second round of voting."
Dr Dowuona said, for the past
three months the opposition political parties' JAC has not met to discuss areas
of co-operation.
He, however, expressed the hope
that if there should be a second round, the JAC would come into effect again.
He added that the CPP hopes to get the support of other parties if it gets the
chance to contest in a second round.
Mr. Larry Addo, running mate of Dr
Charles Wereko-Brobby of the United Ghana Movement (UGM), said his party has
not considered the issue of a second "because we are sure of
winning."
He said he does not know how
speculations of a second have come about, adding that it is probably another
political strategy by some interested parties to sway the electorate into
"voting unwisely again."
"This time round we the
opposition parties, and the UGM for that matter, are very vigilant," he
said. "We have advised our supporters to stay calm, not to be moved by
such speculations and we are winning hands down this year."
The UGM is contesting the general
elections for the first time after Dr Wereko-Brobby left the New Patriotic
Party (NPP) in 1996.
Mr. Dan Lartey, Presidential
Candidate of the Great Consolidate Popular Party (GCPP), said there is going to
be only one round of voting and he will emerge as the next president of Ghana.
"There will be nothing like a
second round. We shall vote only once and Dan Lartey and the GCPP will win,
period," he said.
Mr Lartey, a 72-year-old veteran
politician, whose main message is to pursue a policy of domestication and
create a second chamber of parliament for chiefs, said nothing would prevent
GCPP from winning in the first round.
"Everything is working
according to plan and indications are that our message of domestication of the
economy as opposed to the incumbent's import-orientated economy, is catching up
fast with the electorate," he said.
Mr. Kwaku Baah, a National Vice-
Chairman of the ruling NDC, said the party is not looking at a second round.
"We have not even considered
what to do when there is a second round, because we are not expecting it,"
he said. "We are winning on one touch."
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Divestiture is meant to dispose of
liabilities – Agbodo
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2000
Mr Emmanuel Agbodo, Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) said on Tuesday that the main thrust of the committee's work is the sale of public liabilities rather than assets.
Addressing students at a forum organised by the Tertiary Educational Institutions Network (TIEN) at the University of Ghana, Legon, Mr Agbodo said when the programme began in 1998, most of the companies had become conduit pipes for waste of public funds.
He said the companies were operating far below capacity and had to rely on government subvention to pay staff salaries. This was because they lacked adequate capitalisation and efficient supervision and management.
The Chief Executive said, "it is cumbersome and distracting to government to run companies which are unproductive. The best option is to let the government concentrate on governance while businessmen run the companies".
He said since the divestiture implementation programme began in 1988, government has been relieved of pressure and has now redirected its focus on the provision of social infrastructure.
Mr Agbodo said the operations of DIC are transparent because "every bid is advertised and valuations are done to ascertain the worth of every company before it is divested".
"We publish the names of buyers and how much they pay and if there is a balance, we indicate when it would be paid and as soon as it is paid we publish it".
He said DIC, under his supervision is operating an open system, which is very different from the type carried out by the National Liberation Council (NLC) and the Progress Party (PP) governments whose modus operandi were shrouded in secrecy.
The Chief Executive said out of 300 companies listed for divestiture, 233 have been sold and Ghanaians have bought 190, while Ghanaians and their foreign partners have purchased 20, with 23 going to foreigners only.
Mr Agbodo said divested companies have resurrected due to capitalisation and are producing at capacity or near capacity, thereby providing jobs to many Ghanaians.
"Coca Cola has been revamped with 50 million dollars and the work force has tripled while the staff strength of Golden Tulip has shot up from 116 to 346 and West African Mills now employs 345 people instead of 170 before divestiture.
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Parties promise to respect code of conduct
Lawra (Northern Region) 23 November 2000
Four political parties in the Lawra District have promised to educate their supporters against the use of abusive and inflammatory language in the run-up to the December 7 general election.
They are the National Democratic Congress (NDC), People's National Convention (PNC), National Reform Party (NRP) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Mr Clement Vaare, Acting Lawra District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), who said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, added that the parties have also agreed to stop night rallies, which often create problems in the district.
He said the meeting, which was organised by his outfit, attracted members of the District Election Security Committee, chiefs, assemblymen, religious leaders, parliamentary candidates and security agencies.
Mr Vaare said the meeting was necessitated by the rampant attacks by political activists on one another and the abusive language they employ during their night rallies in Lawra Township.
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Peaceful transition will enhance Ghana's
stature - US envoy
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2000
The US Ambassador, Ms Kathryn Dee Robinson, said on Wednesday that a peaceful transition would enhance Ghana's stature as a leader in the sub-region.
"This will serve as a model for the rest of African countries and will further demonstrate to critics of the continent around the world that democracy can work in Africa," she said.
"The upcoming elections (in the country) are very important, not just for Ghana, but for all of Africa", Ms Robinson said at the launch of a new Wide-Area Network Computer system for the Electoral Commission (EC) in Accra.
She said the US does not favour any political party in the elections. "It is for the people of Ghana, not outsiders, to decide which party or individual candidate can best address the challenges of the country in the next few years."
She called on all registered voters to appreciate and respect the electoral process and the rights of all in expressing their political preferences.
On the Network system, Mad. Dee Robinson said the project would contribute to the EC's capacity to oversee successful election and to build the confidence of registered voters.
She mentioned the training of election officials, purchase of essential commodities, and private election observers as some of the assistance the US has provided towards the growth of Ghana's democracy. The diplomatic corps and staff would observe the elections.
Mr Frank Young, Director of USAID Mission, said the project was at the request of the EC to US to upgrade its computer system for the elections.
The project funding comes from President Clinton's Education for Democracy and Development Initiative, for which Ghana was selected to receive a special allocation 2.5 million dollars.
Mr Young said the project involves the purchase of 33 new computer units, high capacity server, printers, networking material and software at the cost 340,000 dollars.
He said the network would allow the commission to communicate instantaneously with its 10 regional offices, facilitating the transfer of information throughout the country.
He mentioned components of the projects as scanners, which will facilitate visual transmission of images and signed vote tally sheets. Other components include training of EC staff and full Internet connectivity and website development.
"To ensure security of all communications between Accra and the regional offices, a special software has been included to prevent unauthorised access to any part of the network," Mr Young emphasised.
Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, EC Chairman, said the ultimate aim of the commission is to connect all its offices throughout the 10 regional capitals and 110 district administrative offices to the national headquarters.
He said other benefits the commission would derive from the project include enhanced internal communication and with civil society and other electoral commissions the world over.
He expressed the gratitude of the government and the commission to the US government and the Ambassador for the assistance. The EC's website address is www.ec.gov.gh
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EGLE condemns use of children in NPP advert
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2000
The EGLE party on Wednesday condemned the use of under-aged children by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in a political advertisement.
In a statement signed by Mr Sam Pee Yalley, General Secretary, the party said it was drawing attention of the National Commission on Children to the advert, which it called "a blatant abuse and exploitation of innocent children for political expediency."
The statement said political parties have the freedom to package campaign messages aimed to winning the support of the electorate. However, it said, "the use of innocent school children to recite political slogans is shameful and irresponsible."
The party said it was calling on civil society, traditional rulers and child advocacy groups to immediately act "to stop this attempt to exploit and misuse children in political campaign in this country."
It also called on the National Media Commission to take urgent steps to withdraw "this offensive political advert."
The EGLE party said the commission should also caution the NPP against political adverts that exploit religious sentiments as they violate the constitution.
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Alliance will
form government on credible mandate – Mills
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November
2000
Professor John Evans Atta Mills,
Vice President and National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate,
on Tuesday said the Progressive Alliance would form a government after the
December election, based on a credible mandate from the electorate.
Addressing a forum of the Tertiary
Educational Institutions Network (TEIN) of the NDC at the University of Ghana,
Legon, he said the alliance would not support vote rigging from any quarters
because it "would violate divine providence".
The Vice President said
"politics must be played in all humility, in order to create a peaceful
and tranquil environment to guarantee good governance".
He said a government of the
Alliance under his leadership would pursue a fair, just and transparent course,
with the ordinary man as the focus.
The Vice President said he is
aware of the hard times facing Ghanaians because of the slump in the price of
"our export commodities, cocoa and gold and the rising cost of crude
oil".
"I admit that things are very
difficult at the moment, but our resurrection can only get better because we
have survived the worst".
He urged the students not to
believe lies being peddled by a section of the opposition because " they
cannot conjure the money needed to streamline the economy and their track
records are not better than ours".
Professor Mills called on the
students to explain the economic indices to their parents because they have
been empowered through education to know the truth.
The Vice President introduced the
NDC candidate for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Mr Elvis Ankrah, to the students.
He described Mr Ankrah as
"hard working, honest and humble" and urged them to vote massively
for him.
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Mass transfer of
voters in Nadowli
Wa (Upper West) 23 November 2000
Mr Ben Banye, Upper West Regional
Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) on Tuesday
expressed concern about reports of mass transfer of voters in the Nadowli
district,which has the potential of causing confusion on voting day.
He called on the Electoral
Commission to investigate the reports, saying if they are true then they
contravene the electoral law, which allows a voter to transfer his/her vote to
current place of residence only after staying there for at least two months.
Mr Banye, who spoke to the Ghana
News Agency at Wa after a working tour of the Nadowli, Jirrapa and Lawra districts
said the alleged transfers were mostly from the Nadowli South to Nadowli North
constituency.
He said there would likely be
chaos if the villagers, unable to identify the people who have transferred
their votes, consider them as strangers and therefore prevent them from voting.
He called on the political parties
to respect the electoral laws and refrain from activities that have the
potential for violence at the polling stations on polling day.
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Police investigate woman's death
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2000
Police said on Wednesday that they are investigating the death of a woman whose body was found at Adenta, near Madina, last week.
According to a source at the Homicide Unit of the Police Headquarters, the woman, Fafa Avedzedah, a 22-year-old unemployed from Gbadzeme in the Volta Region, came to live in Accra about three years ago.
It said on November 16, the deceased left her house at Adenta around 2300 hours without informing her neighbours and failed to return.
The source said around 1330 hours on November 17 some children discovered her body a few meters away from her house and raised the alarm.
According to the source, the body of the deceased, which bore no external injuries, was half-naked with two pants and a polythene bag containing porridge lying beside it. The body was the second in one week discovered in the Madina area.
At least 25 women have been found dead in Accra in unexplained circumstances in the last two years. There is a general belief that there is a serial murderer or murderers on the loose.
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Police hunt for
security guard on the run with 40million cedis
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November
2000
Police are searching for a private
security guard suspected of stealing 40 million cedis. Guard Solomon Lamptey,
in his late 20s, on November 6 was on guard duty at the Cantonments residence
of the Managing Director of Gischo Mining Company at about 6.00 p.m.
Police said at about 7.00 p.m. the
accountant of Gischo sent 40 million cedis to the managing director's house. Lamptey
helped the accountant to carry the money in a fertiliser sack to the living
room, where the managing director's wife received it.
She was said to have left the
money in the living room and went upstairs. The police said Lamptey asked a
fellow security guard in the house, Jacob Adjei to keep watch at the back of
the house. Lamptey then bolted out of the slide door with the money.
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Security personnel asked to be role models
at polls
Tamale (Northern Region) 23 November 2000
The Greater Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Jordan Quaye, has entreated security personnel who would be deployed to polling stations to serve as role models for the voters to emulate.
He appealed to them to comport themselves and avoid the arbitrary use of their powers. Inspector Quaye was addressing a day's seminar for police personnel in the Northern Region at Tamale on Tuesday.
The aim of the seminar was to enhance their professionalism at the polls and keep them abreast with the electoral laws.
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CPP candidate spells out agenda for
Choggu-Tishegu constituency
Tamale (Northern Region) 23 November 2000
Dr. Adam G. Nasser, CPP parliamentary candidate for the Chogu-Tishegu Constituency, has spelt out his agenda for the constituency when elected as Member of Parliament.
The 14-point agenda prepared in fliers and launched at a rally at Gumbibini in Tamale on Tuesday put the people and their welfare above all other considerations.
It also promised to mobilise farmers through a militant programme of self-reliance and to initiate special programmes targeted at the welfare of women and children.
His agenda seeks to promote peaceful co-existence among people of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds and active co-operation with the security agencies in their legitimate duties.
Dr. Nasser said "poverty is not our natural condition and we can turn things around under the right leadership", urging that the people to vote for the CPP for such leadership.
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Three new DCEs sworn into office
Koforidua (Eastern Region) 23 November 2000
Three newly appointed Municipal/District Chief Executives in the Eastern Region, were on Thursday, sworn into office by the Regional Minister, Ms Patience Adow.
They are, Mr Alex Kweku Asamoah, New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Orison Kweku Aryetey, for Manya Krobo and Mr Charles Amoah Acheampong, for Afram Plains.
The Regional Minister handed over to them their instrument of appointment signed by President Jerry Rawlings dated September 22, after taking the oath of allegiance, the oath of secrecy and the oath of Office.
Ms Adow congratulated them on their appointment and said they were being sworn-in at the threshold of the transition to a new era of the country's democratic governance.
She expressed concern about the violence that has characterised the campaigns in the run-up to the elections, saying this does not augur well for the country.
She therefore urged the new chief executives to use their district security and elections committees to nip in the bud any traces of breach of the peace.
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B/A REGSEC orders re-opening of Chris FM
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 23 November 2000
Chris FM radio station at Berekum, which was closed down on November 8 on the orders of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Security Council (REGSEC) will be re-opened on Thursday (tomorrow).
The closure of the station followed an alleged statement made by Captain Nkrabea Effah-Dartey (rtd) NPP parliamentary candidate for Berekum on its programme, resulting in a violent clash between NDC and NPP supporters.
Nineteen people, mostly NDC supporters, were injured, while the windscreens of vehicles being used by NDC supporters were smashed.
Mr Donald Adabre, Regional Minister and Chairman of REGSEC, told a press conference in Sunyani on Tuesday that the objective for closing station has been achieved.
He said soldiers put at the station would be withdrawn but they will be placed on the alert to protect it from any attack.
The Minister said the decision by REGSEC to re-open the station was influenced by appeals from individuals and a number of organisations, including the National Media Commission and the regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).
Mr Adabre said there is now ample evidence of peace and order prevailing at Berekum, making the continued closure of the station unnecessary.
However, he said, investigations and ''other unfinished business'' pertaining to the incident would continue to bring the culprits to justice.
He advised the management of fm stations to conduct business according to their ethics and professional rules. Oheneba Owusu, Administrative Officer of Chris FN station, on behalf of management rendered an ''unqualified apology'' to the general public for the incident and assured its listeners that henceforth, all political programmes would be scrutinised to avoid the recurrence of violence.
Mr Leonard Amengo, Regional GJA Chairman, thanked REGSEC for re-opening the station and urged fm stations to be more professional in presenting their programmes.
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MP calls for vigilant to prevent NDC from
rigging elections
Domiabra (Ashanti Region) 23 November 2000
Mr. Stephen Balado Manu, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ahafo Ano South, has urged members of the Young Elephants Movement to be on the guard against any plans by the NDC to rig next month's elections.
He said the NDC is stopping at nothing to perpetuate its rule, including the use of its "foot soldiers" to cheat. Mr Balado Manu was speaking at the inauguration of the Domiabra branch of the movement, the youth wing of the NPP on Monday.
He called on the electorate to vote against the NDC, saying it would be suicidal to retain it in power.
He described the recent increase in the producer price of cocoa as a ploy to lure the farmers into voting for the NDC. He said the government's gesture could not be genuine, coming so soon after its decision to burn cocoa beans produced by the hardworking farmers.
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NPP says electoral malpractice uncovered
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 23 November 2000
The Asutifi Constituency branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed concern about the high incidence of electoral malpractice in the area.
In a statement released in Sunyani on Wednesday, it said there have been massive illegal transfer of votes, voter identification card (ID) purchases and the conveyance of truckloads of voters to impersonate and acquire photo ID cards.
The statement, signed by the constituency chairman of the party, Mr Kwabena Antwi, claimed that there is incontrovertible evidence to prove that certain political factions aligned to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are spearheading these illegal activities.
It alleged that busloads of people are conveyed from places in the Western Region and Ahafo Ano Constituency to the area to indulge in double registration.
"The factions have also taken advantage of the Electoral Commission's mopping up exercise to carry out mass illegal transfer of votes even though the voters concerned have not satisfied the minimum two months residential requirement as demanded by law."
The statement said that the NPP executives recently chanced upon a photographer, who is not an official of the Commission, taking pictures for the production of voter IDs for NDC supporters.
The case has been reported to the Hwidiem Police and a lady, whose name was not given, is helping the police in their investigations.
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Effutu NPP accuses police, electoral officer
of condoning malpractice
Winneba (Central Region) 23 November 2000
The Effutu Constituency branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Tuesday accused the Winneba police and the District Electoral Officer of condoning electoral malpractice allegedly perpetrated by the NDC in connection with the on-going voter ID card replacement exercise in the area.
In a statement by the NPP parliamentary candidate, Dr Oheneba K. Akyeampong, the party mentioned impersonation and multiple registration by NDC followers as some of the offences committed by the NDC.
According to Dr Akyeampong the party's monitoring team on November 15, apprehended one Kow Perba, an NDC member, for impersonation.
He alleged that the ID card Perba attempted to use bore the name of one Kwesi Antobam, adding that Perba confessed that the thumbprint ID card he submitted for replacement for photo ID card did not belong to him. He gave the registration number of the ID card in question as ''B071102''.
Dr Akyeampong said the police and the district electoral officer have failed to take action on the matter. A former constituency chairman of the party, Mr Samuel Nkrumah Rockson, said when the matter was reported to the district police commander, Mr J.K. Danso, he said the police could not arrest the suspect.
He said the NPP has in its possession the names of 12 of such suspected impersonators together with various registration numbers they had attempted to use.
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