Parliament has requested personnel of the Electoral Commission to come before the House with a report after the national voter’s registration exercise is over, which is two weeks after August 6, 2020.
This summon by the law making body is as a result of a groundswell of concerns about the ways in which the registration exercise is being conducted. There have been particular concerns about how the laid down Covid-19 safety protocols are being observed at registration centres across the country.
As a consequence the Speaker made this demand on Friday, July 3, 2020 in Parliament.
“I have directed that the EC should come and brief us and that if any honorable member has any issues, questions, queries, he or she is entitled,” Prof. Oquaye told Members of Parliament.
The EC started the compilation of a new voter roll on Tuesday, 30, June 2020. Because the process encourages mass gatherings, this has spiked public fears about a possible increase in Ghana’s Covid-19 cases if the protocols, which have been enshrined in law are not followed by populace.
Health experts and other institutions, especially the Ghana Medical Association have raised serious concerns about the impact of the exercise on Covid-19 cases in the country. The GMA has entreated government to hold the EC “responsible” for any hike in the cases as reports suggests the EC is not adequately enforcing the protocols in some centres.
Meanwhile the Commission has said the GMA’s demand is not fair. The EC advances the argument that every individual is responsible for their own safety.
“We are talking about adults who should know what is right therefore people should take their own health situations into their own hands,” Director of Electoral Services at the Commission Dr. Serebour Quaicoe
He further indicated that, the country should focus on public education rather than allotting blames.
“Let us let people know the implications of their actions instead of putting out threats.
“The most important thing is that every Ghanaian must be committed to that. If you go there and you see that, the protocols are not working, help educate the people. I think that will give more results instead of the threats,” he said.
The Minority in Parliament on July 2, 2020, in a statement also accused the EC of not enforcing the protocols at registration centres as the Commission should.
”The exercise as noted started with gross non-compliance to the Covid-19 protocols to ensure public safety. The Electoral Commissioner and her team did not ensure proper compliance at many centers in the country and this is so worrying.”
Regardless of this, the Speaker of Parliament has promised MPs that the Commission will appear before the House to furnish a report and will answer questions concerning the conduct of the exercise.
The compilation of a new voter roll underway, according to the EC is to provide a “credible” register for the upcoming general elections in December 2020.
