The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Antwi Boasiako, popularly called 'Chairman Wontumi' has blamed the low number of registrants in the Electoral Commission’s exercise on the closure of schools.

The Ashanti Region recorded one of the lowest registration of voters in the exercise which lasted for one month, with over 16 million citizens registering their names into the new voter roll.

Although the statement of the NPP Ashanti Regional Chairman is not backed by data, he said the reduction in the number of the voters could partly be blamed on the closure of tertiary schools in the region as well as the coronavirus pandemic.

“Do you know the number of secondary and universities schools we have in the Oforikrom constituency? Because of COVID, the registration wasn’t normal. About 51,000 students in one university and they were not there,” Wontumi said, explaining why the Oforikrom Constituency recorded lesser numbers.

“We have training colleges in Suame and Old Tafo. In the magazine area, due to the COVID, the apprentices who live far away moved back to their hometowns. It’s the same thing in Asokwa and Kwadaso.” Wontumi said on Metro TV.

“The political arithmetic was trying to increase the NPP polling stations and decrease the NDC polling stations and they have done it,” he added.

The National Democratic Congress disclosed that intimidation from their opponents deterred people from registering.