The recent discrepancies found by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the voter registration process in Ghana have raised serious concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
These discrepancies, which include issues with voter registration data and potential electoral fraud, necessitate a forensic audit to ensure the accuracy and credibility of the voter registration process.
Primarily, a forensic audit or parliamentary investigation is essential to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
The electoral process is the foundation of democratic governance, and any irregularities or discrepancies can undermine public trust and confidence in the system.
By conducting a thorough investigation, Ghana can ensure that its electoral process is free from manipulation and fraud.
Accordingly, Dr. Omane Boamah, the Director of Elections and IT of the NDC has emphasized that the Electoral Commission’s voter register remains fundamentally flawed and requires a comprehensive examination.
Omane Boamah insists that a forensic audit or thorough parliamentary investigation is essential to address the register’s defects, without which it will remain “incurably defective”.
“The Electoral Commission of Ghana refused to release the voters’ register to the NDC on time ahead of the exhibition exercise”.
“But with hard work, dedication, and patriotic zeal, the NDC across the country has proven that the register compiled by the EC is unfit for purpose”.
Dr. Omane Boamah
Omane Boamah further emphasized that the public should not bother with adjudication, as it is clear that the voter register has been intentionally manipulated and compromised.
He noted that the EC underestimated the NDC’s diligence, as the opposition party’s meticulous examination has exposed a plethora of irregularities that were previously unnoticed.
The NDC stalwart emphasized that the voter register exhibition exercise has exposed glaring issues that could potentially compromise the integrity of the 2024 elections if left unaddressed.
As such, he demanded that the necessary stakeholders take immediate and effective measures to tackle the problem without delay.
Avoidable Errors Found In Polling Station Reports
Furthermore, Dr. Omane Boamah further revealed that a detailed analysis of constituency reports, broken down by polling stations, has uncovered numerous avoidable errors, including instances of registered voters whose names have been omitted.
He also expressed concern that another issue is the misplacement of eligible voters on the Exception List or Multiple List, which denies them their rightful place on the main register.
“Disqualified people due to multiple registrations or successful challenges who are still on the Main Provisional Voters Register (PVR)”.
“People who have been transferred without their knowledge in addition to Old Transfers that are still appearing on the register. People who have been moved from one polling station to another polling station”.
Dr. Omane Boamah
Dr. Omane Boamah also criticized the flawed process that permitted voters to apply for proxy voting earlier this year without undergoing biometric verification, leaving room for potential fraud.
Citing the NDC’s previous petition to parliament, Dr. Omane Boamah emphasized that the Parliament of Ghana has a duty to launch a thorough investigation into the Electoral Commission’s activities.
He warned that if Parliament fails to act, it is imperative for Ghanaians, in collaboration with the international community, to apply sufficient pressure on the Electoral Commission to concede to a forensic audit of their systems, including the voter register.
Dr. Omane Boamah reminded the public that the mysterious theft of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) laptops from the Electoral Commission’s headquarters, which was captured on CCTV, remains an unsolved case that warrants attention.
He exposed a worrying trend of unexplained disappearances, where in addition to crucial electoral equipment like BVR laptops, BVDs have gone missing or been stolen, compromising the integrity of the electoral process.
Consequently, Dr. Omane Boamah reemphasized the NDC’s plan to embark on a series of public outreach programs and peaceful demonstrations to push for resolution if the matters are not addressed.
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