The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has appealed to voters throughout Ghana to refuse any request by any individual or group of persons to submit their voters� ID cards in exchange for employment in the public service or whatsoever.
NPP, in a press statement signed by its Communications Director, Nana Akomea, stressed, �In the absence of any tangible explanation, the NPP urges voters to refuse any request from any quarters to submit their Voters� ID cards.�
According to the statement, �The NPP strongly advises voters that they may be disenfranchised or lose the right to vote if they give out their ID cards.�
The appeal comes in the wake of reports making the rounds that the citizenry are being asked to present their voters� ID cards in return for certain promised services by some groups of persons, probably from government quarters.
The statement claimed, �Reports coming in from many parts of Ghana indicate that many Ghanaians are being asked to present their Voters� ID cards in return for all kinds of promised services.�
The NPP underscored, �The reports indicate that those being asked to produce their voters� cards include unpaid nurses in the Ashanti Region, who are being asked to produce their cards to facilitate the payments.�
It also noted that �Farmers in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions are being requested to submit their voters� ID cards before being registered for fertilizer allocation; market women being promised loans only when they submit their voters� I.D cards; voters in Cape Coast being asked to submit their cards for safe keeping in other to secure their re-registration.�
According to the NPP, �In many cases, especially in Accra, reports indicate that people are offered GH�50 in return for submitting their ID cards.�
It continued, �In all these reported instances, information on the voters� ID cards is copied or the cards are not returned at all.�
The opposition party expressed doubt about the motive behind the whole exercise saying, �The NPP is at a loss as to why voters� ID cards of innocent Ghanaians are demanded before a public service is rendered to them,�
It indicated that �In many of these reports, a temporary makeshift office is erected under a tree for the purpose of receiving the voters� ID cards.�
Source: Daily Guide
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |