Akufo-Addo calls for audit of voters register Our message to Dr Afari Gyan and the Electoral Commission is simple: we need a register that truly represents those who are entitled to vote in Ghana. The current register is bogus. We are not interested in playing the blame game. We are only interested in doing what is right for our democracy. Let us all work together on this. Ghanaian elections should not be West African election. These were the words of Nana Akufo-Addo when he addressed the delegates of the New Patriotic Party at the Radach Memorial Hall, in Tamale, ahead of the Special Electoral College and presidential primary of the Party. As a first step before the District Assembly election, Akufo-Addo called on the Electoral Commission to heed to the calls of civil society and political parties (including PPP, PNC, CPP and NPP) to allow for an independent, forensic audit of the existing biometric voters register. I am told the entire process, from the opening of competitive international bids to the completion of the forensic biometric audit, could take up to a couple of months. This first step can be taken before the next District Assembly Election. To do this will send a strong signal to the country that the Electoral Commission is sincere and serious on the question of electoral reforms. Let the audit of the current register serve as a key step to restoring public confidence in our electoral system. It is an important decision that we have to take to consolidate our democracy, Nana Akufo-Addo stated. Nana Akufo-Addo made these comments on the back of Wednesdays ruling by the Supreme Court, which stated prohibited the EC from allowing the use of the National Health Insurance cards for the voters registration exercise. He congratulated the plaintiffs, Abu Ramadan, Evans Nimako, and Kwasi Danso Acheampong, for their patriotism, and also congratulated the Supreme Court, under the leadership of the Chief Justice, for their decision. The process for electoral reforms, according to Nana Addo, has started with this decision by the Supreme Court. That decision means sorting out the voters register, the base document for elections, is the first major step. My message to you here and to all Ghanaians is that we cannot compromise on our push to get electoral reforms. We must do it and do it well to protect our democracy, he maintained. On the announcement made by the EC regarding the setting of a new date for the limited registration exercise - from Monday, August 4 to August 13, Nana Akufo-Addo said this has to be done, as the Constitution requires, before the next public election, the District Assembly election. However, Nana Addo indicated that this move will amount to adding more names to a register that is already discredited. He urged to listen to the growing calls for a credible register and do what is required to achieve that.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 08:09:27 +0000
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