General News of Saturday, 14 April 2012

Source: Daily Guide

Togolese In Registration Spree At Aflao

THE ONGOING biometric voters’ registration exercising has taken an interesting turn as leaders of the NDC at Aflao, particularly the election committee is financing and organizing the massive registration of Togolese nationals.

A source close to the governing party says the target for such operations are registration centers along the Ghana-Togo border namely Beat 4, Beat 9, Fihokofe, Yameh and Tublukofe.

He said registration officials were promised money depending on the number of people they register daily. He alleged that each official is given GH¢30 for registering 150 people, GH¢40 for 200 and GH¢60 for 300 and so on to motivate them to register as many people as possible irrespective of their eligibility status. Apparently, some NDC members are issuing National Health Insurance (NHIS) cards at various parts of the Aflao township to foreigners to enable them take part in the exercise.

Unfortunately for them, one of the NHIS card production points was detected in a house numbered ANI-B-871 at Huime-Agodome near Beat 9 some 100 meters away from Togo.

The house owned by one Sowalo is believed to be the residence of Korku Abusah, the NDC branch Chairman of Abeliakofe. Mr. Abusah is alleged to have contracted one Isaac Akpaku to take pictures and the data of Togolese nationals for NHIS cards and also secure biometric ID cards for them. The NHIS cards are then presented at above-listed registration centres where the bearers are registered as Ghanaian voters.

When DAILY GUIDE contacted Mr. Abusah he said he was only helping his fellow Ghanaians who had no NHIS cards to get them.

Mr. Abusah who admitted not being a staff at the NHIS noted he is only taking the information for the NHIS office to issue the cards to his constituents.

He added that in the process they also encouraged the card bearers to ensure they register in the biometric registration exercise.

He however said he had stopped issuing the cards because of concerns being raised by the media and other opinion leaders. DAILY GUIDE investigations at border registration centres reveal that some people from Nigeria and even Benin are trouping in to register.