The Deputy Minister for Defense, Derrick Oduro (Maj) has asserted that the busing of people from one point to the other to partake in the ongoing voter registration exercise is not against the laws of Ghana.
He, however, noted that regardless of the act not being illegal, the people in the Bono Region have enacted a law to ban the busing of people there.
He mentioned this in an interview on Happy 98.9 FM’s ‘Epa Hoa Daben’ with Afrifa-Mensah, “The idea of busing people is not a bad idea and happens in other regions but because of the violence the act has brought about in the Bono region, the people in the region have made it an offence.
According to him, the Bono Regional Security Council (REGSEC) held a meeting with all parties in the region and “they have signed a document to make bussing illegal.
This was because, the two leading political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were bussing [transporting] people in their numbers to register and that had earlier resulted in a clash which led to the death of one person.
Explaining the presence of Military Personnel in the Banda area of the Bono Region, the Deputy Minister for Defense mentioned that the REGSEC after signing the document asked for the military to ensure the enforcement of the agreement.
He said, “For peace to reign in Banda, the REGSEC has made the law. The free movement of people has been removed from Banda.”
Derrick Oduro (Maj) indicated that it is a decision the assembly has arrived at according to their own bylaws.
“They have made their law and the military needs to make sure no one breaks the law.”