House Of Chiefs Worried Over Voters' Register War Threats

The National House of Chiefs is expressing worry over war threats being issued by some political elements ahead of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

It has therefore called for calm and peace over the proposed compilation of a new voters’ register.

It would be recalled that the CID recently commenced investigations into threats made by PNC’s National Chairman, Bernard Mornah, against the Electoral Commission and its staff concerning the voters’ register.

At a press conference, Mr Mornah, who is largely seen as surrogate of the opposition NDC, says “People who are already Ghanaians are already registered are going to be taken out of the voters’ register, don’t you think confusion will come at the registration station and if confusion comes there, you think the EC staff will be safe, we will beat each other there and, we will kill each other there if that is what the EC wants to lead this nation to.”

The said press conference was organized by the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Register (IPRAN) on May 26, 2020.

And in a statement, the National House of Chiefs said: “We are very concerned about the growing tension in our country, at a time when we are confronted with a lot of challenges – Covid-19 pandemic, CSM epidemic, flooding, joblessness, etc.-that naturally require that we stick together and work towards finding the appropriate solutions.”

In the face of these challenges, it says, Ghanaians need hope and not fear. “But sadly, our airwaves are filled with intimidation, and threats of anarchy, mayhem, war,” according to the House of Chiefs, adding “Our political leaders appear to be more concerned about winning power, than the development needs and happiness of our people”.

It noted that central to the escalating tension is the decision of the Electoral Commission to compile a new register.

“Unfortunately, the EC failed to honour invitations to the National House of Chiefs, when our traditional leaders wanted the opportunity to promote dialogue in the interest of peace,” it says.

The House of Chiefs statement was jointly signed by its President, Togbe Afede XIV and Vice President, Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII.