Ghana’s police chief John Kudalor has told security personnel along Ghana’s borders not to frustrate Ghanaians living in Togo from crossing over to vote in the 7 December polls.
Addressing journalists during a day’s visit to the Volta Region, which is known to be the stronghold of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Inspector General of Police said: “I don’t think the Togolese have any mandate to come and vote here, but you know the long-standing history between the Volta Region and Togo. All that we are saying is that any Ghanaian is free to stay anywhere and work. So, if you are even living outside the African continent and you are duly registered and your papers are ready, you can fly in, nobody can stop you at the airport. In the same wise, if you find yourself in a country within our borders, I don’t think anybody should be prevented.”
“The security agency would ensure that everybody who is supposed to vote or who is to have easy access to and from the country across the borders [is] … allowed to vote. If you have any problem with anybody, it should be at the polling station; to see that he is not duly registered, he is coming to be an imposter or unlawfully voting.
The IGP’s concerns about Ghanaians in Togo taking part in the country come just a day after the presidential candidate of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo appealed to Togolese to stay off Ghana’s elections.
Speaking to party supporters in Aflao in the Volta Region, which shares borders with Togo, Mr Akufo-Addo, who speaks very fluent French, told citizens of the francophone West African country that they can support Ghana’s democratic process by staying away from Ghana’s elections.
The NPP has always accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) whose stronghold is the Volta Region, of constantly smuggling Togolese into Ghana’s jurisdiction to vote during elections.
The people of the Volta Region share a common language (Ewe) with the Togo while a lot of Ewe-speaking Ghanaians also crisscross the border for daily business activities. Some of them too have families on either side of the border. It is, therefore, difficult to distinguish between a Togolese and a Ghanaian from that part of the country. The situation has, thus, given rise to intense suspicion between the NDC and the NPP, especially in every election year and 2016 has not been any different.
Earlier this year, the vice-presidential candidate of the NPP, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, said Ghana’s electoral roll was contained the names of about 76,000 Togolese smuggled into the country by the NDC to register as Ghanaians so they could take part in the elections. The NDC has constantly demanded evidence from Dr Bawumia in connection with that allegation.
The NPP also recently launched a campaign dubbed “operations eagle eye” that aims to stop all Togolese from taking part in Ghana’s elections.
Source: Classfmonline
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Instead of closing all boarders across to maintain peace look at what u are saying as IGP, so all nigerians who speak hausa too can come and vote in Ghana since most muslims also speaks hausa? wise up man and use ur phd wisely, it will surprise us that the so called ghanaians at togo are more than we the people in Ghana but still change is a must
a@akwasi atta what authority spoke, is the IGP now the EC to talk that bullshit and even how many Ghanaians are at togo and why didnt they go to their various towns to register, if this is a trick then forget cos it wont happen and u have to go on pension even if u are not 60. @African politics, no one is saying they are not Ghanaians u cant tell me Ghnaians at togo will be aroung 5000 but u will be surprise to see almost 50000 people voting at togo, we have to be vigilant to stop that immatured politics and u koraa u are at togo and not USA so stop braging.....IGP stay away and let better ghanaians vote cos u koraa u are from togo and not a ghanaian
why attention on only Ghanaians in togo but other places like bukina faso,lets stop this hypocrisy and double standard,by the way where u when they were registation
So called intellectuals are more ***barred word*** than those who has never been to school. First you have to register before you can vote in everywhere. People cannot come to Ghana and start voting. Registration demands some documents before you can vote. I know lot from , Ada, ningo- prampram people are fishing in togo and they are Ghanaians. Does this mean they cannot vote because, fake lawyer without certificate is so desperate to become president.? Give us break. I voted in US recent election and does means I am not American. ignorance is killing African politics
U lie!! We will not allow togolese to vote in our elections!! N u will see what we will do to u when nana addo wins massively on dec 7!!! U are a stupiiiiid IGP and u will be the first casualty when nana addo becomes president as the popular choice for all ghanaians!!!! Vote for change!!! Vote against incompetence!!! Vote for Nana!!!!!!!!! Nana is the popukar choice!!!!!
Operation Eagle Eye is in full force. Cross the border at your own risk.
Wht is wrong wid our IGP HW MANY GHANAIANS LIVE IN TOGO
LISTEN TO THE CHIEF IDI0T. Ghanaians in Togo supposedly come from all over Ghana, don't they? Why do they only vote in the border constitutencies in Volta region? Why don't they fly to their hometwons all over Ghana to vote? Any Togolese who tries to cross to vote in Ghana's elections does so at his own risk. WE DARE THEM TO TRY !!1
foooooooolish and uselessssssss IGP
MR. IGP YOU ARE NOT SPEAKING PEACE YOU ARE ONLY PROTECTING YOUR POSITION BUT GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOUR NDC/POSITION. ALLOW THE WHOLE OF TOGO TO VOTE YOUR NDC (NATIONAL DEVILS CONGRESS) WILL NEVER WIN THIS ELECTIONS NANA ALL THE WAY. CHANGE IS COMING SOON.