Mensah Walanyo Tsegah, the Suhum Municipal Electoral Officer, has been transferred to the Akuapem North District for not allowing the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to bus citizens to the constituency to transfer their votes, DAILY GUIDE has gathered.
Mr Tsegah’s transfer took effect last Friday and the officer in charge of Akropong–North has been assigned to take over from him.
Sources told the paper that his transfer was instigated by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Margret Ansei, aka Magoo, who doubles as the NDC parliamentary candidate and some top party officials, who have accused him of working in the interest of the NPP MP, Fredrick Opare Ansah.
The Suhum branch of the NDC last week allegedly bused people from various places to the constituency to transfer their votes but Mr Tsegah, who wasn’t happy about the move, stopped the unqualified applicants.
Subsequently, the NDC thugs attacked the EC staff and vandalized their equipment.
They also took away the printer which forced the EC to close down its office on Friday which rendered voters stranded.
Threats
Mr. Tsegah, who condemned the attack by the NDC thugs, told the media that they were scared and would not open the office until security was boosted because the NDC thugs had threatened to kill them.
He said the assailants were in an NDC branded car, adding that they took the action after the EC officials had asked an individual who could not provide certain details needed for a successful transfer of his vote to go back and bring some documents.
The Police have not been able to make any arrest.
Meanwhile, the Director of Communications of the EC, Eric Dzakpasu has called for the arrest and prosecution of the thugs.
“In the case of Suhum, my colleague indicated that the people who perpetuated the act are well known in the community. They are known to the police and those around so why should they be allowed to go free?”
“What we are witnessing at some of these offices are now acts of criminality and once they are acts of criminality, I think law enforcement must come to play otherwise all that would be witnessed would be impunity.
NDC admits offence
After the attack, the Suhum Constituency Organiser of NDC Kofi Wayo, apologised for the attacks carried out by the NDC thugs.
“As a constituency executive, the only thing I can say to the Electoral Commission (EC) is that we are sorry. Probably there must have been a miscommunication. They [EC] are there for us and we are there for them.”
Earlier, a group in a statement called for the transfer of Mr Tsegah.
Its president Dove Maxwell said, “We the concerned citizens of this noble and reputable constituency have recognised to our dismay that the Suhum EC Chair has failed in his ultimate quest to champion free and fair elections to people of Suhum ever since he assumed office in the constituency’’.
The group said in the 2012 elections the results obtained at the polling by both parliamentary candidates in the constituency were different from what the EC chair had announced.
NPP Condemns Attacks
In a press statement issued and signed by Ayensu Stephen, Communication Director, Ernest Lartey, Constituency secretary, Osei Daniel and Albert Opare, the NPP branch condemned the attack by the NDC thugs on the EC.
The NDC took the action to force the EC to have thousands of unqualified voters or persons transfer their votes to the Suhum Constituency to help it win the December polls but the committed and competent staff of the Suhum EC, led by Mr. Mensah ignored them, the NPP indicated.
The NPP also expressed dissatisfaction with Ms Ansei for the part she played in shielding the EC thugs from the police.
It alleged that the MCE accommodated the criminals at her official residence and prevented the police from arresting them.
The NPP called on the President to sack the MCE since she has now become a threat to public peace and security.”
From Daniel Bampoe, Suhum