News
Ayaria files motion for parliament to reject CI empowering EC to refuse Voter ID for new registration
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has filed a motion in Parliament inviting it to reject the Constitutional Instrument (CI) that would empower the Electoral Commission (EC) to reject the existing voter identification card in the impending voter registration exercise.
The new CI, if passed, would see potential voters use their passport and Ghana Card as the base document to get onto the new register.
Persons who don’t have the above listed documents would have to rely on guarantors to be able to get onto the voter roll.
The notice of motion filed by Mr Ayariga, on behalf of the Minority caucus, is seeking the House to disapprove of the Public Elections (Amendment) Regulations 2020 CI 126.
Per Parliamentary practice, Speaker Aaron Mike Oquaye would be expected to settle on a date on which the Bawku Central MP would be given the opportunity to move the motion on the floor and back same with reasons.
MPs would then be invited to debate the motion after which a vote would be taken.
It’s unclear when the Speaker would give Mr Ayariga the opportunity to move the motion on the floor of the House.
To be successful in their bid, the Minority which has a numerical strength of 106 of the 275-member House would have to woo their colleagues in the Majority to join them in that pursuit as a simple majority is required for the motion to pass.
The CI which needs 21 sitting days to mature as at yesterday was 10 days old.
The Subsidiary Legislation Committee, of which Mr Ayariga is a member, is yet to submit its report on the CI to the plenary.
The notice of motion was submitted to Speaker Oquaye’s office on Tuesday, May 19, the Ghanaian Times has learnt.
The EC and the opposition National Democratic Congress have been at loggerheads over the need for a new voters roll.
Whiles the NDC contends that the timing for compiling a new register with barely six months to the crucial December 2020 presidential and parliamentary polls is wrong; the EC maintains that only a new register would guarantee a free, fair and transparent election.
Eighteen other civil society organisations and some ‘smaller’ political parties have also kicked against the new voters roll.
The EC which had earlier settled on April 18, 2020 to commence the exercise had to postpone it indefinitely as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
Thomas Partey, Ransford Yeboah Königsdörffer, Kojo Oppong Peprah, and Alexander Djiku trained with the Black Stars on Tuesday, March 23 as preparations intensify for the international friendly against Austria on Friday.
The newly arrived players—Partey, Königsdörffer, Oppong Peprah and Djiku—joined the group training Tuesday afternoon in readiness for the match.
Partey and Djiku bring valuable experience and dexterity to the team, having played a major role in securing Ghana a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, Canada, and the United States of America.
All 25 players participated in Tuesday’s training session, each aiming to catch the eye of head coach Otto Addo.
The full squad present at training included Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Benjamin Asare, Joseph Anang, Patrick Pfeiffer, Derrick Luckassen, Derrick Kohn, Jerome Opoku, Caleb Yirenkyi, Kojo Oppong Peprah, Jonas Adjetey, Marvin Senaya, Gideon Mensah, Elisha Owusu, Ibrahim Sulemana, Kwasi Sibo, Jordan Ayew, Prince Kwabena Adu, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Antoine Semenyo, Kamal Deen Sulemana, Daniel Agyei, Thomas Partey, Alexander Djiku, and Ransford Yeboah Königsdörffer.
Training will continue on Wednesday and Thursday ahead of the match on Friday, March 27, 2026.
The Kadjebi District Police Command, through a sustained intelligence-led operation, has arrested a suspect, Chalim Madzaton, also known as Peter Tano, 36, a farmer.
He was apprehended at his hideout in Kpaya, a suburb of Ahamansu, in connection with the murder of 80-year-old Dakolor Semaka.
On March 24, 2026, police received a report that the suspect had allegedly attacked his girlfriend, Yaa Tugbenyo, 55, and her mother, the deceased, at their residence in Mangoase near Kadjebi During the incident, Yaa Tugbenyo managed to escape but later returned to find her mother lying motionless on the floor.
Police Officers visited the scene and found the body of the deceased lying in a supine positior with isible signs of violence.
The scene was processed, and photographs were taken for evidential purpose.
The deceased was pronounced dead by a medical officer at St. Mary Theresa Hospital and the body has since been deposited at the hospital’s morgue for preservation and autopsy.
The suspect is currently in Police custody assisting with investigations and will be arraigned before court.
