Military deployment “must be condemned by all” – PPP

The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has questioned the presence of military men at Ghana’s border towns in the Oti and Volta regions.

The deployment of the soldiers to the area has raised eyebrows ahead of the new voter registration exercise, which begins on Tuesday, June 30.

“We are in a civilian, democratic dispensation; so deploying the military to exert force domestically must be condemned by all,” the PPP said in a statement. “Say no to the deployment of the military in domestic issues”.

Even though the government has said that the security is to ensure compliance of COVID-19 restrictions, some critics have suggested that it is meant to prevent foreigners from partaking in the registration exercise.

However, the PPP maintained in a statement released by its Communications Director, Paa Kow Ackon, that if military intervention is needed in any of such instances, the president requires parliamentary approval.

The party has urged the government to restrain from the actions that will intimidate citizens from registering for the new voter ID card.

“Similarly, it is important that we do not allow the authorities to act in a fanciful manner, capable of creating fear and panic and also preventing civilians from exercising their democratic rights.

“The question we are asking is, should the military be used to exert force domestically against Ghanaians in a civilian dispensation?”

The party urged the military to “learn from best practices and resist the repeated temptations to get themselves involved in civilian issues.”

The PPP entreated the Akufo-Addo administration to understand that Ghana is “no more in a military junta where the military could be deployed in civilian matters.”

In an attempt to explain the presence of the soldiers, NPP MP for Adansi Asokwa, KT Hammond was seen in a viral video that the measure was to “make sure that you vote if you are a Ghanaian.”

K.T Hammond further explained that election results have been severely impacted by Togolese.

“The Togolese and the Voltarians…they are the same tribe, but they are not Ghanaians,” he said and complained about votes from Ketu South constituency of the Volta region.

“Where did they come from?. Everybody from wherever they came to vote. So this is what we want to disallow,” K.T Hammond said.

The military is there to make sure that you vote if you are a Ghanaian. They are not electoral officers, but they are a peace-keeping force.”

However, the PPP does not seem enthused about Mr Hammond’s comments.

“We call on the administration to condemn in no uncertain terms the ethnocentric comments made by the MP for Adansi Asokwa, Mr. K.T. Hammond about the people in the Volta Region.”