Akufo-Addo eased restrictions to allow EC to compile new voters' register - NDC alleges

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo deliberatively eased the Coronavirus disease restrictions to enable the Electoral Commission (EC) to go ahead with its decision to compile a new voters' register for the 2020 general elections.

At a press briefing in Accra Monday, the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Mr Sammy Gyamfi said the decision to ease restrictions on public gathering in spite of the country recording high numbers of COVID-19 cases was politically motivated.

He explained that whereas President Akufo-Addo gave one hour for church and mosque activities and with a limited number of 100 people, the EC and National Identification Authority (NIA) were not given any limitation of hours and number of people they could register in a day.

Mr Gyamfi who was speaking at the maiden edition of a weekly press briefing introduced by the NDC as part of preparations for Election 2020, said the president only eased the restrictions for his parochial political interest.

He was of the view that the president was behind the scheme of the EC and NIA's grand agenda to rig this year's general elections in favour of the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He also chastised the EC for its failure to honour the invitation of the National House of Chiefs, saying such posture undermines the authority of the chieftaincy institution in the country.

He said chiefs from time immemorial have played key role in the country's development, particularly in the areas of peacebuilding.

Mr Gyamfi said the EC chair's decision not to honour the invitation of the National House of Chiefs was a clear indication of the entrenched position taken by the EC not to listen to any other party apart from itself concerning the compilation of a new voters' register for the 2020 elections.