NPP protests in Kumasi to demand voters’ roll validation

Thousands of supporters of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have hit the streets in Kumasi to ramp up pressure on the Electoral Commission (EC) to validate the electoral roll.

They were dressed in red and black to signal their anger and dissatisfaction with the way things are being done by the constitutional body charged with the conduct of elections.

Amid the blowing of vuvuzelas, brass band music and chanting of slogans, they carried placards with messages like “We need credible register”, “Mahama stop controlling the EC”, “Who controls STL”, “No more rigging”, “EC not independent”, “Think about Ghana, Madam EC Chairperson”, “Clean, credible register and nothing else” and “EC is working for NDC”.

Dubbed “Baamu Yadda” (we will not agree), the demonstration, which was called by pressure group Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA), was peaceful and there was strong police presence to provide security.

Leading members of the NPP including the Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu; the Ashanti Regional Chairman, Mr. Bernard Antwi-Bosiako and Sammy Awuku, the NPP National Youth Organizer, joined the demonstration.

They set off at the State Boys at Bantama and as they snailed through the approved routes, their numbers kept swelling, leading to clogging of the roads with bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Some head porters, popularly referred to as “Kayayes” were also there to show solidarity.

Agnes Serwaah Bonsu, a trader, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that she was there to express her concern about the threat to the security of the nation by flawed polls.

She said the EC must demonstrate to everybody that there “is going to be a level playing field” for clean, fair and credible election.

Source: GNA