FREE SHS, NANA ADDO’S WEAPON FOR ELECTION 2020 – ISHMAEL ADAMS.
ANN : JULY 12, 2020.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has in the past week described the decision by the Electoral Commission of Ghana to register final-year students of all senior high schools on campus as bizarre.
This, a Communication team member of the NDC, Richard Manuribi in his submission on EBOBORBA on Homebase television hosted by CO Sly said “The illegal registration of these 1.2million students will spike up the spread of COVID-19.”
He also claimed “the NDC would have managed the pandemic better than the NPP government in spite of the rate at which the virus is spreading globally.”
The NDC has since filed a suit at the High Court “General Jurisdiction” on Friday, listing four reliefs, along with orders the court shall deem fit, as well as punitive costs.
The party is specifically asking for:
a.A declaration that it is illegal and wrongful for the Defendant (Electoral Commission) to conduct registration at any place including campuses of a Senior High School which was not contained in a Gazette and notification in accordance with C.I. 91.
b.A declaration that any such registration of voters including students that take place at any ungazetted and unpublished registration centre including Senior High School campuses is null and void and of no legal effect.
c.An order excluding names of persons registered at those illegal centres from the register of voters.
d.An order for perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant whether by itself, officers, agents, or any other functionary personnel from carrying out registration of voters in any Senior High School or place not duly gazette or published in accordance with C.I. 91 as amended.
According to the NDC, the Electoral Commission enacted the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2016, (CI .91), same amended by C.I 126 of 2020 to regulate its conduct of voter registration in accordance with the laws that set the Commission up.
But Assistant Secretary for Weija-Gbawe constituency and member of the NPP communication team Ismael Adams noted the NDC adopted this strategy to make the government unpopular knowing they have lost favour in the sight of electorates.
He however eulogized the idea to register final year students by the electoral commission is a step in the right direction so they won’t be disenfranchised come December 7, 2020.
He claimed the free initiative Policies ( free SHS ) by the NPP government will compel these students to vote for Nana Addo and the NPP irrespective of their Parents or Guardians political affiliations; hence the reason NDC is kicking against the registration of this students.
