2016 Voters’ Register Contained Animals And Plants But You Didn’t Complain – EC Replies NDC

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has responded to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) following the party’s request for an independent forensic audit of the 2024 Provisional Voters Register. The Commission has dismissed the calls, asserting that the current processes in place are sufficient for identifying and correcting discrepancies.

Speaking to the media in Accra on Thursday, August 12, Deputy Commissioner Samuel Tettey addressed the NDC’s concerns, stating that this appeared to be the first time the party had shown interest in the integrity of the voters’ register. He remarked, “Perhaps this is the first time the NDC has taken interest in the register. Otherwise, one would have expected them to call for such an audit of the 2016 register, which contained photos of plants and animals representing voters.”

Contrary to claims that there is precedent for an independent audit of the voters’ register, Mr. Tettey refuted the notion, emphasizing that “since 1992, the voters’ register has never been audited.” He reiterated that no such independent audit had been conducted in the past, and the Commission saw no need for one at this time.

The NDC, during a meeting on September 6, 2024, highlighted five key issues they had identified with the Provisional Voters Register, urging the EC to conduct a forensic audit and re-exhibit the register. However, the Commission maintains that the existing Voter Register Exhibition Exercise, conducted nationwide, is an effective and legally mandated measure for uncovering and rectifying discrepancies. The EC insisted that this process, which has been in place since 1992, adheres to the Constitutional Instrument on the Registration of Voters (C.I. 91 as amended by C.I. 126).

Mr. Tettey reiterated the robustness of the existing system, stating, “The Voter Register Exhibition Exercise itself serves as an audit, allowing for the correction of discrepancies identified through our established procedures.” He assured the public that any issues flagged during the exhibition were being addressed in a timely and comprehensive manner.

The EC further encouraged the NDC to cooperate by submitting detailed information about specific discrepancies they had identified, in order to facilitate a thorough review and resolution. According to Mr. Tettey, the current methods in place are “tried and tested” and introducing external audits would not offer additional value.

“We are focused on resolving issues through established channels rather than introducing unnecessary external audits,” Mr. Tettey concluded, urging all stakeholders to collaborate to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.

Source: GhanaFeed.Com