The founding President and Chief Executive Officer of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe, has requested from the Electoral Commission (EC) a transparent examination and inspection of the mode of operations and technology used by the Electoral Commission.
The request comes on the back of a statement by the Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jean Adukwei Mensa at the launch of the Agent of Peace campaign in the Church of Pentecost stating that she is a Christian and has a firm belief in God.
According to Franklin Cudjoe, the statement made by the EC Chairperson does not address the problems surrounding the new voter roll of the Electoral Commission.
“As if we those who advised against this needless exercise dine with lesser gods. I don’t trust them. We need thorough open vetting of the technology, administrative and operational system of the Electoral Commission. Now!!!”
Prior to the June 30 commencement date of the new voter registration exercise, IMANI Africa had said there was no justification for an entirely new electoral roll to be compiled ahead of the 2020 polls as the current register was credible enough for a transparent election.
Months after the EC started the process, the civil society organization seems to feel vindicated by the issues cropping out of the exercise insisting that, the arguments advanced by the EC in introducing the new register have been flawed.
Expressing disappointment in the Electoral Commission, the President of IMANI stated that the $150 million ‘super machines’ indicated to assist curb elementary errors in the voter ID and strengthen verification process has been unnecessary and a waste of the public purse expressing distrust in the body.
However, the Electoral Commission chaired by Jean Adukwei Mensa is of the view that the errors associated with the new voter register is normal and every election year in the past have encountered similar problems.
Yet, critics including Policy Think Tank, IMANI are of the view that since money was spent on a new voter register with the sole purpose of alleviating similar elementary errors, the $150 million machine should not encounter such problems.
Eye brows were raised on the errors of the Electoral Commission’s new voter roll when the Member of Parliament for Ashiaman in the Greater Accra Region, sued the Electoral Commission on claims that his name together with 21,000 names were omitted from the new voter’s register.
Also, the running mate of the fag bearer of the National Democratic Congress claimed she had to request for a new voter ID card due to omission of her name in the voter’s register during the exhibition exercise which took 8 days instead of 11 to 21 days, which has been the practice of the electoral commission over the years.
In addition to the errors found, critics are of the view that, the Electoral Commission is to be blamed for the multiple individual registrations in the new electoral roll after a statement by Jean Adukwei Mensa indicated that 6,080 prospective voters registered multiple times.
Addressing the critics, the EC intimated that, it had fixed the elementary errors of the new electoral roll. The EC chairperson has also iterated that, the office could be trusted and assured of credibility, transparency and a peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections.
According to Mrs. Mensa, as part of the commission’s effort to build trust, confidence and integrity in the electoral processes, the commission has initiated programmes which includes “Let the citizens know” to provide a platform for the EC to engage directly with the citizens through its media.
