Provide Political Parties With Details Of 2,300 Togolese Refugees

The Youth Alliance Network is deeply concerned about the widely publicized announcement by the Ghana Refugee Board that some 2,300 Togolese nationals have 'opted to be integrated into Ghanaian communities.'

While we welcome the decision by persons who qualify under our laws, including refugees, to integrate into our Ghanaian communities; we note the dreadful and potential political undertones that underline the current gesture.

The announcement has been made at a time when the Electoral Commission has declared an intention to do a limited voter registration exercise. The threat of these refugees being registered as voters is real.

There is more than enough evidence to show that before the Electoral Commission backtracked on their decision to allow the use of the NHIS as a basis for establishing voter identity, some known members of the National Democratic Congress were leading the registration of foreigners in areas such as Agohome , Kpadzahor and Akpokope all in the Volta Region as well Agona Mansakrom and Nantifa in the Central Region.

The motive for this 'benevolent' gesture when properly interrogated would reveal a most malevolent intent.

Further to the above, the Inter Parliamentary Advisory Committee (IPAC) has urged it on the Electoral Commission to halt the limited registration exercise until a full audit of the entire register is conducted.

This call is made because IPAC, which comprises of all political parties with representation in Parliament, agrees that there are persons whose names have been captured in the Voter Register and are legally undeserving to be in it.

We therefore demand that the Ghana Refugees Board publishes the entire details of these 2,300 Togolese Nationals and also send copies of these details to the all the political parties in Ghana. The possibility of more unqualified people getting onto an already bloated register must be prevented.

In the interest of the Republic, it is our prayer that the Ghana Refugees Board would accede to our demands.

Spokespersons:
Oheneba Bediako - 0246914805

Atick Yakubu. -0509045059

Paul Djan. - 0548270430