The New Juaben South constituency chairman of the opposition New Patriotic party (NPP), Michael Oteng Adu has opined that persons identified to be minors or foreigners and were challenged during the voters registration exercise must be arrested by the police for proper investigations and prosecution if found guilty.
According to the chairman, mere protest in terms of challenge forms filled by party agents alone does not resolve the matter of minor registration.
Speaking to the Daily Heritage, Mr. oteng Adu stated that the exercise recorded pockets of violence across the country due to mistrust in the Electoral Commission’s (EC’s) review process that adjudicates on the challenge forms.
He said the parties believe that once a minor is allowed to register the possibility of his eligibility being upheld by the committee is great, hence, violent ways are employed to stop such suspected minors and foreigners from registering.
He was of the view that if the Police are allowed to arrest such suspected minors at the registration centers, investigate, having been challenged and prosecute culprits, it will deter unqualified persons from attempting to register which will bring sanity into the registration process.
He also wants the CE’s Review committee to settle the challenged forms cases in public sittings to build trust and transparency in the process.
Mr. Adu said the party’s satisfied with the number of persons registered in the new Juaben South Constituency, which according to the party data, is around 5,140.
He said the party envisaged between 5,000 and 6,000 first time voters being registered. He said the New Juaben South Constituency recorded minimal incidents of violence.
He said the NPP is poised to widen the gap in the constituency to help secure victory for the flagbearer of the party, Nana Akufo-Addo.
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