Military explains presence in Banda

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has rejected claims that its men are targeting certain ethnic groups at Banda in its military deployment. 

The Adontenhene of Bongase Community in the Banda District of the Bono Region, Nana Issah Yakubu had accused the military of intimidating residents participating in the ongoing voter registration exercise.

Former President and flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama also made similar allegations.

The former president in a social media post alleged the actions of the military exposes plans by President Akufo-Addo to disenfranchise Ewes and other non-Akans.

But a response from the Ghana Armed Forces rejected the accusations saying “No specific ethnic group was targeted in this regard”.

The military explained that the deployment formed part of an agreement reached by officials of both the governing New Patriotic Party and the NDC as well as the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) on the back of disturbances that resulted in the death of one person in the Banda district.

“The Military wishes to state that on 30th July 2020, the Bono Regional Security Council met representatives of the two main political parties – NPP and NDC – to deliberate on the peaceful conduct of the registration exercise. This was in the wake of the disturbances that resulted in the unfortunate demise of one person.”

“The Agreement signed by Mr. Joe Danquah (NPP) and Hon Ahmed Ibrahim (NDC MP – Banda) and witnessed by the Hon Regional Minister stated as follows: ‘We the undersigned agreed today to maintain peace in the Banda District during the remaining days of the voters’ registration exercise and after, until the end of the 2020 General Elections in December 2020,” the statement added.

The two parties, the statement said agreed that:

• The REGSEC will give the necessary security to the Banda Constituency and the entire region before, during and after the process of the December 7 election. The REGSEC and the Electoral Commission and other stakeholders should meet the chiefs to determine the boundaries of Banda.
• The two Parliamentary candidates( Joe Danquah and Ahmed Ibrahim (MP) should stop busing people to registration centres. If indeed they were ordinary residents, they should go there on their own volition.
• Political parties should educate their agents at the registration centres to fill challenge forms in challenging people whose citizenship or residency they doubted.
• No physical violence should be used in preventing people from registering.
• The two candidates should pledge their support to ensure peace in the constituency by signing the Peace Agreement offered by REGSEC.