National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Inusah Abdulai B. Fuseini has expressed grave concerns over Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC).
Hon. Fuseini’s critique touches on various aspects of the EC’s operations, including transparency, procedural adherence, and the potential disenfranchisement of voters. His remarks reflect a broader dissatisfaction with the electoral process and its current management, particularly under the leadership of the EC chairperson, Jean Mensah. Hon. Fuseini began by emphasizing the importance of democratic values and the role of the Constitution in ensuring free and fair elections. Hon. Fuseini underscored the significance of the preamble to Ghana’s constitution.
“We are a democratic country and we subscribe to the universal democratic creed.”
Hon. Inusah Abdulai B. Fuseini Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources
Hon. Fuseini urged his colleagues and the public to digest the preamble of the constitution, which forms the basis of the people’s rights and claims. “We are doing that in exercise of our inalienable rights,” he added, framing his criticisms as part of a constitutional obligation to hold institutions accountable. Hon. Fuseini traced the evolution of Ghana’s electoral processes, noting how the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has historically advocated for electoral reforms. He emphasized that the NPP initially called for transparent ballot boxes to replace opaque ones in the early 1990s, citing fears of rigging. Similarly, the shift from black-and-white photo albums to colored ones was also led by the NPP.
“Was there evidence that when we were using the black and white albums to vote, there was vote rigging? No.”
Hon. Inusah Abdulai B. Fuseini Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources
Hon. Fuseini pointed out that, the change to colored albums was made because they offered a sharper and clearer image, a request that was granted without much opposition. Another significant reform was the introduction of biometric verification in elections, which the NPP also championed.
“Who called for a movement from the manual verification to biometric verification? The NPP.”
Hon. Inusah Abdulai B. Fuseini Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources
Hon. Fuseini acknowledged these reforms as necessary steps in ensuring fair elections but questioned why the current EC seemed to be regressing from these principles.
Concerns About the 2020 Elections
Hon. Fuseini expressed particular concern over the EC’s handling of the 2020 elections. He recalled the claims made by the NPP’s current vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
“In 2016, the running mate to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo the current vice president said that there were 8,000 ghost names on the register.”
Hon. Inusah Abdulai B. Fuseini Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources
However, he noted that the current issues are far more severe. “Today, we are not talking about 8,000. We are talking about hundreds of thousands,” he warned, highlighting the need for urgent reform.
Hon. Fuseini accused the EC of intentionally disenfranchising some citizens, suggesting that it was systematically preventing certain groups from electing members of parliament. we have got an electoral commission that has decided that some people in this country don’t need a member of parliament.” Hon. Fuseini also criticized the EC for its mishandling of the election results, claiming that the results had been changed multiple times during the 2020 election. He asserted that; “In 2020, declared results and changed the results five times.”
Calls for a Forensic Audit
Hon. Fuseini argued that an audit is necessary to ensure that the electoral process remains transparent and fair.
“Simply, what we are saying is that there must be a system audit and that system audit has happened before. It happened in 2012, it happened in 2016, Let’s do a system audit.”
Hon. Inusah Abdulai B. Fuseini Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources
Hon. Fuseini also raised concerns about the integrity of the EC’s systems, particularly the transfer of voter data. Hon. Fuseini described instances where voters’ registrations had been transferred from one region to another without their knowledge or consent, accusing the EC of illegal practices.
“By the electoral laws of this country, if [ for instance] Eric transfers his votes from Fanteakwa South to Accra, there must be a trail… the transparency is not being done.”
Hon. Inusah Abdulai B. Fuseini Member of Parliament for Tamale Central and former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources
Holding the Electoral Commission to Account
Hon. Fuseini emphasized the need for accountability, particularly about the EC. He argued that the EC must explain its actions and decisions to the public, especially when these actions appear to violate the law.
“We are holding the electoral commission to account,” he declared, framing this accountability as essential to the health of Ghana’s democracy. He asserted that; “In fact, impunity is an affront to democracy.”
Hon. Inusah Fuseini’s critique of Ghana’s Electoral Commission raises critical questions about the integrity of the country’s electoral process. Hon. Fuseini’s called for a forensic audit, along with his insistence on transparency and accountability, highlights the need for reforms to restore public trust in the EC. Hon Fuseini’s remarks serve as a reminder that in a democracy, no institution is above scrutiny, and every effort must be made to ensure that the will of the people is accurately reflected in the election results.
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