66 ‘Ivorians’ arrested for obtaining voters ID cards

At least 66 persons believed to be citizens of neighbouring Ivory Coast have been arrested at Banda in the Bono Region for obtaining Ghanaian voters ID cards.

Officers of the Ghana Immigration Services intercepted a KIA pickup carrying the group believed to have traveled through Sampi to Banda.

“They were at Krabonu, a town in Banda Ahenkro to register for the Voters ID cards… unfortunately for them, they were arrested by the Immigration on their way back to Ivory Coast” UTV’s William Arthur reported.

The 66 are believed to have travelled from Tapi, a border town in Ivory Coast to Ghana.

According to the reporter, they admitted that a Ghanaian living in Ivory Coast, Yaw, aided their movement to communities in the Banda constituency where they registered.

“Yaw connived with them to get registered so they can subsequently visit their families in Ghana… He arranged for a car for them and they traveled through the bush in two days,” Arthur reported.

Some of their names used for registration included, Abena Kwadwo, Kwabena Kwame, Kofi Yaw.

Questions have been raised about why the electoral officers did not suspect the applicants, especially with their names.

The governing NPP government has raised concerns about the voters register being bloated.

The electoral commission began the compilation of new voters registers on June 30.

The registration exercise has largely been peaceful except for a few violent incidences recorded at some registration centers.

The exercise in the Volta Region’s Ketu-South and Banda in the Bono Region both border constituencies have been marred with violence.

The opposition NDC has accused the government of intimidating registrants in their stronghold by deploying military men there.

The government in its defense has said the military officers are there to ensure no foreigner enters the country illegally.

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has described it as unfortunate

“This report by UTV is very worrying. It means despite the efforts to keep our borders closed even in this COVID era we still have major challenges. The security agencies have a Herculean task” he wrote

This report by UTV is very worrying.

It means despite the efforts to keep our borders closed even in this covid era we still have major challenges. The security agencies have a Herculean task

Watch full video here: https://t.co/j67WaVewmC pic.twitter.com/yTzYG4yxNL

— Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (@konkrumah) August 7, 2020

Watch the video below: