NPP Plots Propaganda to Downplay Covid-19 for Ghana Card Registration

Sammy Awuku, the Director of Communications of the NPP has been recorded lamenting the impact of the coronavirus on mobilization plans of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and is rallying agents of the party to make a move on the registration for the National Identity Card by the National Identification Authority (NIA).

Apparently, the social and economic disruption that the deadly coronavirus pandemic has wrought around the world, has also vandalized a plan by the NPP to execute the Ghana Card registration program in such a way that the party would be advantaged when the cards are later used for the planned compilation of a new voters’ register, Whatsup News gathered from information provided by sources.

Even after the NIA was eventually forced to abandon the registration due to the pandemic and an interlocutory injunction, Sammy Awuku, allegedly got in contact with party Communicators and announced a new plan to start a propaganda project that would downplay the pandemic so that the NIA could return to work.

“Guys I know we owe you three months, but we are working hard to pay you. If you remember I posted here your points for last month, so we are going to pay you. We need to reduce the tension with this coronavirus thing else NIA is going to be forced to stop working, and the moment they stop, we can’t give any justification for the EC to start their registration,” he reportedly said.

“Let us start by saying eight people have recovered from the virus. We should make it a trend, please. We are working hard to let the appropriate institution come out with a statement. We need this GhanaCard for the voter’s ID,” Mr. Awuku is quoted as saying.

He also, allegedly, informed the party mules that their efforts so far have led to massive registrations in the NPP’s main stronghold, Ashanti Region, and other areas politically favourable to the ruling party.

“I’m told Ashanti Region is so far leading with 2.4m people with Ghana Card, followed by Greater Accra with 1.4m. As at yesterday, the Eastern Region has registered 1.1m. Let us push further. But this info should not go out. Anyway, SirObama Pokuase, Ama Darkwaa Baning thumps up to u guys. Doing a great job, your propaganda massages are really helping the course.”

Mr. Awuku has not been available to speak to the claims but the revelation is serving a window into why the NIA had continued, against all caution, to register people in the Eastern Region, the second stronghold of the NPP.

Not even demands from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) would dissuade the NIA from recklessly exposing Ghanaians to possible coronavirus infections just to complete the registration in the Eastern Region.

Eventually, it had to take the mighty hand of a court to force the NIA to stop the registration.

The NIA Executive Secretary, Prof. Ken Attafuah, revealed that he could not stop the registration because he had received an order from above not to stop the process.