NDC Rejects Voters Register Ahead Of 2024 Elections – Raises Serious Concerns

Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, the Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has expressed serious concerns about the integrity of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) voters’ register as Ghana approaches the December 7, 2024, general elections.

In a recent Facebook post, Dr. Omane Boamah criticized the current voters’ register as “unfit for purpose,” demanding either a forensic audit or a comprehensive parliamentary investigation to address what he described as “incurably defective” anomalies.

He argued that the EC deliberately withheld the voters’ register from the NDC until the exhibition exercise, which he believes was a calculated move. Despite these challenges, the NDC’s careful examination during the exercise revealed several critical issues that, according to him, could undermine the credibility of the upcoming elections if left unresolved.

“The register compiled by the EC is unfit for purpose. Without a forensic audit or thorough parliamentary investigation of the EC’s voters register, the register will remain incurably defective,” Dr. Omane Boamah asserted.

Key Anomalies Uncovered

Dr. Omane Boamah outlined several anomalies that the NDC identified during their scrutiny, which he believes indicate a compromised electoral process. These issues include:

• Missing Names: Instances of registered voters whose names are missing from the voters’ register.
• Misplaced Qualified Voters: Qualified voters who have been incorrectly listed on the Exception List or the Multiple List, making them ineligible to vote.
• Unremoved Disqualified Voters: Individuals disqualified for multiple registrations or successful challenges who remain listed on the Main Provisional Voters Register (PVR).
• Unauthorized Transfers: Voters who have been transferred to different polling stations without their knowledge, along with outdated transfers still appearing on the register.
• Polling Station Mismatches: Voters relocated to different polling stations without their awareness.

Additionally, Dr. Omane Boamah criticized the process that allowed voters to apply for proxy voting earlier in the year without biometric verification, which he described as “awkward.”

Calls for Immediate Action

In light of these concerns, Dr. Omane Boamah has called on Ghana’s Parliament to launch an immediate investigation into the EC’s management of the voters’ register. He emphasized that if Parliament fails to take action, both the Ghanaian public and the international community should apply pressure on the EC to permit a forensic audit of its systems and the register.

He further pointed out unresolved issues, such as the theft of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) laptops from the EC headquarters, despite the presence of CCTV surveillance, and ongoing concerns about missing or stolen Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs).

Public Demonstrations and Further Action

Dr. Omane Boamah concluded by hinting at upcoming public forums and demonstrations aimed at addressing these electoral concerns and advocating for greater transparency and accountability in the electoral process.

The NDC’s strong stance underscores the growing tension surrounding Ghana’s 2024 elections, with all eyes on the Electoral Commission to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.

Source: GhanaFeed.Com