The New Patriotic Party (NPP) says if security at centers mounted for the limited registration exercise is anything to go by, then all cannot be said to be well for the 2016 elections.
“If you cannot provide adequate security for 3,500 centers, how are you going to do that for 29,000?”
Speaking on TV3’s News @10 on Wednesday, May 4, Director of Elections for the NPP Martin Ajdei-Mensah Korsah said some centers have been invaded by machomen against the protocol of the exercise.
“In Brong Ahafo Region [and] other places, machomen have taken over the place. EC officers are being touted as opponents. You have Electoral Commission equipment being damaged…it is a real problem.”
The exercise, which began on Thursday, April 28, has been characterized by violence at some centers. Accusations have also been traded between the two major political parties over registering ineligible persons.
Mr Adjei-Mensah Korsah called for a beef-up in security and even the opening of additional centers in some electoral areas where numbers of prospective voters are high.
He cited the case of University of Ghana, where only one center has been mounted for the exercise.
This suggestion was agreed to by National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Kofi Adams, who was also called into the programme.
He said the NDC has liaised with the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) and centers have been increased in some areas.
“We have been engaging with the Electoral Commission. Indeed the number of centers has been increased in some circumstances where it came very necessary that centers are created in areas that the EC has not been creating centers.”
He urged potential voters to take advantage of all the days during the exercise and not wait till the last minute to register.
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana
Twitter: @kwame_amoh