3 CSOs condemn military deployment in border communities in Volta Region
Three civil society organisations have added their voices to the call on the government to desist from deploying military personnel in border communities in the Volta Region during the upcoming elections.
They are the Democratic Credentials Network Ghana, Community Focus Foundation Ghana and Coalition of Ghanaians Without Ghana Card.
The Executive Director of Community Focus Foundation Ghana, Richard Kasu, said at a press conference in Ho last Thursday that the Ghana Police Service was capable of enforcing law and order in the communities while personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service carried out their duties of ensuring sanity along the frontiers.
The press conference was on “Nipping electoral threats in the bud; Volta in the spotlight.”
Mr Kasu said deploying soldiers in the border communities would only intimidate voters and keep them away from the polling stations on the voting day.
He cited the government’s decision to deploy the military along border towns to enforce the ban on the export of grains from Ghana, saying that was part of a scheme to suppress votes in opposition strongholds.
Target
Mr Kasu said the government had targeted the Volta Region for electoral manipulation, which he said, was a dangerous omen for the country’s democracy.
“Every region, including Volta, deserves equal voting rights,” Mr Kasu maintained.
He said there was still, what he described as, the sponsored activities of the separatist Western Togoland group, adding that was a strategy to justify the deployment of military along the borders during the elections.
Mr Kasu said various civil society organisations had gathered information suggesting that the Electoral Commission (EC) had been ordered to make the voting materials available very late in the Volta Region to make it impossible for a large number of voters to exercise their franchise on December 7.
Further, he alleged, another plan to manipulate the votes by the government was to curtail electricity during the counting of the ballots.
Mr Kasu demanded a comprehensive security roadmap to inform and guide the people on security issues rather than the deployment of the military during the election.
“We also expect the EC to come clear on the arrangements for the distribution of election materials to all regions, constituencies, and polling stations,” he added.
He said it was also crucial for the government to assure the nation of the stable power throughout the electioneering period.