Electoral Commission Resolves Voter Register Discrepancies Ahead of 2024 Elections Amid NDC Concerns

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has announced that it has “largely resolved” discrepancies found in the Voters Register ahead of the 2024 General Election. The EC addressed concerns over issues such as omitted names, objections to unqualified voters, removal of deceased persons from the register, and replacement of damaged or poor-quality voter ID cards.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, September 13, Samuel Tettey, Deputy EC Chair in charge of operations, stated that the Commission had implemented a transparent process involving officers at all levels to ensure that all registered voters were accounted for in the register. He emphasized that the discrepancies had been identified through the Commission’s internal processes and had mostly been resolved.

“It is important to note that all of the discrepancies were identified by the Commission’s own internal processes. I am pleased to note that as we speak, they have largely been resolved,” Tettey said.

The EC’s response followed concerns raised by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) about the credibility of the voters’ register, with the party claiming that some voters had been transferred without their consent. As a result, the NDC called for an independent forensic audit of the EC’s Information Technology systems to ensure the integrity of the register.

The NDC also announced plans for a nationwide demonstration on September 17, 2024, to demand what it described as a free and fair electoral process.

However, Tettey dismissed the NDC’s request for a forensic audit, calling it “misguided” and “premature.” He explained that the voters exhibition exercise, which allows citizens to verify their details, serves as an avenue for auditing the register and correcting any discrepancies. He highlighted that this practice has been in place since 1992 and is well established by law.

“The exhibition exercise enables citizens to verify their details and allows for the unearthing of discrepancies in the register. Additionally, it provides for the correction of discrepancies in the register. This is not new. This has been the practice since 1992. The process of cleaning and strengthening the Voters Register is well defined by law,” Tettey added.

The EC also appealed to former President John Dramani Mahama, the NDC Flagbearer, to bring the party to the discussion table, expressing concerns that the planned protest could heighten tensions. The Commission assured the public that the best way to resolve issues was through dialogue and not demonstrations.

“The Commission would like to assure the public and all stakeholders that all identified discrepancies with the provisional voters’ register are being corrected. To date, the register is almost near perfect as most of the discrepancies have been fully resolved,” Tettey concluded.

The EC remains committed to ensuring a transparent and credible election process as the country prepares for the 2024 elections on December 7.

Source: GhanaFeed.Com