Tanga (U/E), March 29, GNA - The Bawku West District Electoral Officer, Mr. John Bosco Azu has expressed concern about the mishandling of the recently acquired voter identity cards by some residents of the area. He said even before the voter registration exercise has ended, some people have either misplaced or mishandled their cards, rendering them almost illegible.

Mr. Azu made the observation at a day's workshop organized by the district secretariat of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) for chiefs, opinion leaders and a cross-section of the population in Tanga near Zebilla at the weekend. The workshop was aimed at sensitising the people on the replacement of the old voters' register and the need for a violence-free election when the nation goes to polls later this year. He said resources that could otherwise be used to develop facilities for the welfare of the people have to be channelled into the provision of a credible voters register to rid the system of disputes.

Mr. Azu therefore, appealed to residents of the area to handle the ID cards with care to prolong their life-span, adding that the cards could also be used for other purposes in future. The District Director of the NCCE, Mr. Dominic Akugre said a credible voters register would safeguard against the numerous controversies and conflicts that often arise over election results. He added that the people need to register to enable them to vote, and that, it is important that they accept election results certified by the Electoral Commission.

Mr. Akugre also advised them to desist from using abusive language in their campaigns, and to accommodate the views of their opponents for the sake of harmony and peaceful co-existence. Mr. Frank Fuseini, NCCE Advisory Chairman urged participants to resort to the peaceful resolution of differences to avert any escalation of the situation.