The Director of IT and Elections of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Dr Edward Omane Boamah has underscored the critical need for the Electoral Commission of Ghana to provide answers to critical issues and concerns regarding the process towards the conduct of the upcoming general elections.
Dr Omane Boamah, in a statement commenting on an Inter-Party Advisory Committee meeting scheduled by the Electoral Commission on Monday, July 1, 2024, emphasized the urgent need for the Commission to use the meeting to address some growing concerns over the EC’s handling of the ongoing electoral processes.
Dr Edward Omane Boamah began by expressing the need for the Electoral Commission of Ghana to use the Inter-Party Advisory Committee scheduled on Monday, July 1 to provide a comprehensive update on the network failure issues that were discussed in previous IPAC meetings.
“My friend Dr Bossman Asare, You have invited us to an IPAC meeting tomorrow at 10 am. We shall attend. We expect to be updated on the network failure issues as agreed at IPAC several weeks ago”
Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Director of IT and Elections, National Democratic Congress
These network issues, he noted have been a point of contention, causing significant disruptions and raising questions about the Electoral Commisison’s readiness and technological infrastructure to conduct the December 7 polls.
Final Figures from Voter Registration
Furthermore, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, the National Democratic Congress Director of IT and Elections highlighted the importance for the Electoral Commission to provide the final figures from the 2024 limited voter registration exercise.
He noted that the National Democratic Congress had previously identified and corrected errors in the Electoral Commission’s preliminary data, but the Electoral Commission is yet to disclose the revised figures.
Dr Omane Boamah emphasized that the accuracy of the voter registration data is crucial for ensuring the integrity of the upcoming elections, urging the leadership of the Electoral Commission to ensure such data is given to all political parties.
Special Voter Registration Issues
Moreover, the former Minister of Communication under the previous National Democratic Congress’s administration under former President John Dramani Mahama demanded from the Electoral Commission a briefing on the solutions for the problems encountered by some security personnel during the special voter registration process.
He posited that ensuring that all eligible voters, especially those in essential services, can register without issues is vital for a fair electoral process, hence the need for the Electoral Commission to inform all stakeholders on its plans to address the problems it encountered during the just ended special voter registration exercise.
Revision of the Electoral Calendar
With the December 7, 2024, general elections fast approaching, the National Democratic Congress Director of IT and Elections stressed the urgent need for the Electoral Commission to revise its originally published calendar of activities.
Dr. Omane Boamah expressed concerns over potential logistical bottlenecks and the risk of a “stampede” if the calendar remains unchanged.
He emphasized that the current schedule is already overburdened and any further compression could jeopardize the election’s smooth conduct.
Parliamentary Inquiry into Missing Biometric Equipment
In addition, Dr Omane Boamah expressed the opposition party’s anticipation for the outcome of a parliamentary inquiry into the stolen and missing of EC’s biometric equipment following the party’s formal request for an investigation.
Dr. Omane Boamah expressed hope that Parliament would not fail Ghanaians in addressing this critical security issue.
In an earlier call, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) running mate for the 2024 general elections urged the Electoral Commission to guarantee the integrity of the upcoming election, ensuring a process that is free from manipulation, fair to all parties involved, and transparent in its conduct.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, via her spokesperson, James Agyenim-Boateng expressed concern over the sporadic violence that marred the recent limited registration and voter transfer exercises, emphasizing the need for the Electoral Commission to implement robust measures to prevent a repeat of such incidents in the forthcoming general elections.
READ ALSO: GCB Bank PLC Reports Robust Financial Performance for 2023
