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'Why has Electoral Commission suddenly become security zone?' - LMVC complains

By MyJoyOnline
Politics 'Why has Electoral Commission suddenly become security zone?' - LMVC complains
SEP 25, 2015 LISTEN

Pressure group, Let My Vote Count Alliance, says it is baffled by the police’s position that the premise of the Electoral Commission is “suddenly” a security zone and hence they would not allow a picket there.

“What is at the Electoral Commission that the state is so afraid of that they do not wish Ghanaians to see?” a leader David Asante is questioning.

The LMVCA is attempting to march to the Electoral Commission again after an attempt last week resulted in clashes.

Pictures of police brutalities against unarmed civilians have led to a public outcry.

President Mahama condemned the use of force days after the incident and has called for the police to investigate the brutalities. The police have maintained their innocence in the measure of force used.

The stand-off between the police and the Let My Vote Count Alliance is deepening. It emerged that the police had sought a perpetual injunction to permanently stop the group from protesting at headquarters of the Electoral Commission.

But the LMVCA is suggesting that the police stance is hypocritical. According to the group, another pressure group Occupy Ghana was allowed to picket last year, close to the seat of government, the Flagstaff House.

“Are we saying the Electoral Commission is more of a security area than the presidency?” Daniel Asante wonders.

The group is scheduled to go on a second demonstration on September 29 to pile pressure on the Electoral Commission to change the voters’ register for the 2016 general elections.

But the police say the event has to be postponed. This is because officers of the service will be engaged in a nationwide operational exercise that has been rolled out.

Public Affairs Director of the Accra Regional Police ASP Afia Tenge says they will be meeting with the leadership of the pressure group today to fix an appropriate date.

She hopes the two sides can “come to compromise where we find a date and a route”.

But LMVCA says it is heading to court to seek clarification on whether the police can determine the route protesters want to use.

“We are looking at setting a precedent for future demonstrators…in future the police will not have the right to determine where demonstrators can either picket or demonstrate”, he said.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|EA

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