Paul Collins Appiah Ofori a Ghanaian politician and immediate past Member of Parliament for the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa constituency in the Central Region of Ghana has advised the Electoral Commission of Ghana to tread cautiously over its intended plan to compile a new voters’ register.
Speaking Wednesday, May 14, 2020, on Dadi 101.1 FM’s morning show program dubbed “Efa Wo Ho” hosted by Abena Pokua Ahwenapa, P.C Appiah Ofori said, though he supports a new Voters’ register, the timing for its compilation is wrong cautioning that if care is not taken it could create problems in 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.
“I support the compilation of the new Register but the timing is what I don’t support because the election will be held in December. We are in May going to June by the time we finish the new register there will be little time left for the election. When will the exhibition be done to ensure that corrections and omissions are fixed?” He said.
The Antigraft Crusader hastened to add that “What the EC has to do now is to focus on eliminating ghost names from the register to use it to conduct the 2020 election then after that we compile a new register”.
Relatively belated decision by the Electoral Commission of Ghana to compile a new voters’ register has faced fierce resistance by a group call Inter-Party Resistance against the New Voters Register (IPRAN), made up of six opposition political parties, including largest opposition party in Ghana – the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The group staged demonstrations in some parts of the country early this year. It had planned to escalate their actions against the EC but for the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The EC has nonetheless maintained its position to compile a new voter’s register
The commission initially slated the exercise on April 18, 2020, but had to postpone it due to the coronavirus.
With about 6 months to the December 7, Presidential and Parliamentary election, the EC has served notice it will still go ahead with the compilation of the new voter’s register.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
