5th August, 2020
A Nigerian has been prosecuted and jailed for six months by Ghanaian authorities for registering for the voter ID card in the registration exercise being undertaken by the Electoral Commission of Ghana.
A Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Bossman Eric Asare revealed this at a press conference in Accra, ghanaweb.com reported.
He said the unidentified Nigerian was arrested and sentenced on Wednesday, 29 July 2020 by the Kaneshie District Court to a six-month imprisonment with hard labour.
He was caught while attempting to register at the Swag Club House in the Ablekuma West District.
Five Nigeriens are being prosecuted for the same crime, Asare said.
The Nigeriens, he said, have made their first appearance at the Kaneshie District for attempting to register and thus acquire the voter ID card.
Foreigners are prohibited from taking part in the registration exercise, he said.
Asare has thus warned Ghanaians who stand guarantee for foreigners to desist from doing so because the law will come after them.
“Guarantors should make sure they know the nationalities of the applicants they are guaranteeing for”.
“In the event those you guarantee for are not qualified, guarantors will also be held accountable for perjury”, he warned.
“Do not guarantee for strangers. The details of guarantors are captured in our database, so, it is important that you know the persons you are guaranteeing for”, he cautioned.
“We have noticed disturbing reports since last week (phase 5) where Ghanaians, who have registered, will front for people of other nationalities to register. These are largely concentrated in border towns but there are some in other places, too.
“It is a crime to guarantee for foreigners to register and vote. Again, if you are a guarantor, it is incumbent on you to know the nationalities of the people you are guaranteeing for”, he stressed.
“Foreigners who are caught trying to register will be prosecuted”, he warned.