Freddy Blay, Acting National Chairman of NPP
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is opposed to the proposal by the Ghana Police Service to ban the use of social media on election day, December 7, to avert any potential violence.
The Inspector General of Police Mr. John Kudalor proposed to ban the use of social media on election day if need be to control its negative impact on the upcoming general election but the NPP describes the move as unacceptable.
Addressing party officials in Bolgatanga, on a working visit to the Upper East Region, Acting National Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Freddy Blay said the use of social media on election day would not plunge the country into chaos.
He added that, the continuous call to ban social media on election day creates the suspicion of possible untoward happenings that may mar the exercise.
“It is mind boggling that at this point in time when in this country everywhere else people are dependent on social media. We (NPP) find nothing wrong with the social media and we don’t see how it could in anyway create any embarrassment or violence in this country.
We are strongly opposed to it, it goes to reinforce our suspicion that something sinister is about to happen on the initiative of the government and we want our development partners’ to appreciate our concerns.
Ghana is for all of us and we will work hard for a peaceful election but the National Democratic Congress is jittering and they are resorting to all kinds of tricks.
And we in the (NPP) will not allow them to get away with it” Mr. Blay stated. Commenting on the conduct of the Electoral Commission, Mr. Blay said the EC’s has to improve the haphazard way managing the ongoing exhibition and the re-registration exercise.
“In some cases people who have not registered with NHIS cards have had their names deleted from the electoral roll, many people have not even had the opportunity to register or they are not aware that their names have gone off the exhibition list. These are serious concerns we have raised”.
Mr. Blay added that, the current IPAC is nothing to write home about, “it’s loaded with parties that don’t exist and parties satellite to the NDC and when we (NPP) are raising issues about how to address some challenges facing our electoral process, we are ignored”.
He urged the EC to ensure transparency and accountability in the upcoming elections, adding that, the actions of the EC is key to sustaining Ghana’s democracy.
Mr. Blay was optimistic of victory for the NPP come December 7 due to hard living conditions the NDC government have plunged Ghanaians into.
-Citifmonline