Voters' register bloated by 150 names?

Adwenso (E/R), Oct. 16, GNA - The Manya Krobo District Electoral Office is investigating allegations that the Voters' register had been bloated by 150 names This followed a formal complaint by the Assemblyman for Takorase/Osonson Electoral Area in the Upper Manya Constituency, Mr Djembi Lawer that, "the voters' register being exhibited by the Electoral Commission at the Adwenso Local Authority Registration Centre had been bloated by 150 names."

He alleged, some of the people whose names appeared in the voters' register were not from the area and did not come physically to register at the registration center, yet had registered slips to take the pictures during the photo taking exercise.

Mr Lawer, who is also Dademantse for the area said there were other people who registered in different constituencies and districts but were convinced by some politicians to come and have their picture taken with false registration slips at the registration centre.

Mr Lawer disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Adwenso in the Upper Manya Constituency on Friday. He cited the case of his two relations Dademantse Nartey Kwesi and

Edward Angmor, whom he claimed stay and work at Desa in the Yilo-Krobo District and did not register at Adwenso, yet had their names and pictures in the voters register.

"Who thumb-printed their slips for them?" Mr Lawer queried and called on the Electoral Commission to strike out all such names from the voter's register.

He produced a photocopy of a list of 65 Akan names, who are not staying in the area and their registration numbers, original registration slips and photocopy of registration slips that he alleged belong to the persons whose names had been "smuggled" into the voters register.

Mr Lawer, who is also Dademantse for the area said he said he had evidence to prove that similar fictitious means had been used to bloat the voters' register at 15 other registration centers in the area. The Manya-Krobo District Electoral Officer, Mr Godwin T. Okley acknowledged that he had received the complaint of Mr Lawer and had initiated investigations into the allegation.

Adwenso Local Authority Primary registration centre, registered 756 voters and 531 had their pictures taken.