Akufo-Addo justifies military presence along country’s borders
President Akufo-Addo has justified military deployments along the country’s borders ahead of the new voters’ register compilation.
According to the president, the move is in the interest of the country.
He said the deployment is to save the country against the intrusion of foreign nationals who have the potential of jeopardizing Ghana’s democracy and health efforts at a time covid-19 is on the rise in Ghana.
“The longstanding deployment of security personnel, especially the military, along our borders is another dimension of this process of guaranteeing the peace of the nation.
“To shore up our borders against such attacks, and to defend our nation’s territorial integrity, the Armed Forces, at least since I came into office, have been very proactive in engaging in operations to secure our borders and foil any potential terror attacks on our soil.
“Deployments of soldiers in areas along our borders have been regular, and residents living in border towns will bear testimony to this”, he said in an address Monday evening.
His reassurance comes barely 24 hours after some military personnel were sighted along the country’s borders.
The soldiers have been strategically positioned along borders in the Volta Region, Oti Region, Northern Region, Upper East Region and Upper West Region.
This development, however, did not sit well with the biggest opposition party, National Democratic Congress.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, said the military presence was meant to intimidate residents from coming out to register to vote come June 30.
To clear all doubt, the president maintained that such intimidation concerns were misplaced.
He made reference to the arrest of some illegal immigrants who came into the country in the past but were arrested by border soldiers.
“Let me state, without any form of equivocation, that these deployments are not in any way intended to intimidate or prevent eligible Ghanaians from registering to vote in December.
“They are there for their express purpose, which is to guard our borders. That is the limit of their remit, and they will not be permitted to stray beyond that remit,” he said.
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President Akufo-Addo reiterated that he is not interested in disenfranchising voters.
“I have no interest in disenfranchising any eligible Ghanaian from registering in tomorrow’s exercise, nor am I interested in any improper machinations to win any election.
“I have spent my life fighting for free, democratic institutions in our country, and I will continue in that fight for the rest of my life.
“The idea of being a President, who emerges from a rigged election, is abhorrent to every fibre of my being. I want to continue to be the President of a Ghanaian people who have given me their free consent, with the blessing of the Almighty,” the president assured.