The Ashanti regional deputy organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Isham Alhassan, has sworn to resist any move by New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters that will seek to prevent natives of Zongo communities from registering in the upcoming Limited Registration Exercise by the Electoral Commission (EC).
Mr Alhassan said some executives of the NDC have received tip-off that members of the NPP are planning to prevent people within Zongo and Northern extraction from registering.
He warned that if the NPP fails to follow the rules of the game laid down by the EC in relation to the general election and decides to resort to any unlawful tactics to address their grievances, members of the NDC will resist fiercely.
Members of the Zongo Caucus, he maintained, will not sit down to be cheated in the upcoming general election.
“If the NPP thinks they doubt the eligibility of an NDC voter during voting, there is an ideal way (challenge form) provided by the EC for any party to register its displeasure than physically preventing the individual from voting or registering.”
Speaking to the Daily Heritage in an interview at a press conference organised by the Ashanti regional NDC Zongo Caucus, Mr Alhassan advised the rank and file of NPP to allow the electoral regulations to work, adding that if all parties will follow the laws, there would be no violence in the coming 2016 general election.
He rejected the pledge made by Nana Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the NPP at his just ended first Nasara Conference in Kumasi that he will establish a Zongo Development Fund to enhance infrastructural development in the Zongo communities, and described it as a mere fallacy and a deceptive strategy.
“During the limited registration exercise last year by the EC, it was widely reported that 'Kayayei' were denied the opportunity by the NPP members to register in areas such as Ashtown, Bantama, Asafo and other Akan dominated areas. They were told to go to the Northern Region to register,” he alleged.
On his part, Mr Awal Mohammed also from the NDC said the NPP cannot boast of a single policy geared towards the development of Zongo communities in the entire eight years of its administration with a Northern Vice President, unlike the administration of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama.
He said 70% of roads in predominantly Zongo communities in the country are tarred and work is still ongoing in some areas.
“Ashanti for instance, we have Asawase, Oforikrom, Ayigya, Ejura, Tafo, Yalwa and Asante Bekwai among others,” he noted.
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