As the National Democratic Congress (NDC) continues to voice concerns about the upcoming elections, Dr. Tanko Rashid-Computer, Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC has addressed concerns with a strong message on the importance of a credible voters’ register. He underscored the critical moment facing Ghana’s democracy and highlighted two key issues regarding the current state of the voter register.
According to Dr. Tanko, a credible voter’ register is the cornerstone of a legitimate election, and without it, the integrity of the country’s democratic processes is at risk. Dr. Tanko began his address by describing the gravity of the situation. He framed it as a “critical moment” for Ghana’s democracy, noting the potential consequences of a flawed election process. Drawing comparisons to the instability seen in neighboring countries within the sub-region, he emphasized the urgency of addressing these challenges.
“We have come to a crossroads in this country, a very critical moment of our democracy that if we don’t take care, what is going on in the sub-region, God forbid, we don’t want it in this country.”
Dr. Tanko Rashid-Computer Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC
In his view, the looming threat to Ghana’s democracy is not external but internal, and it is tied directly to the voter registration process.
“When Stalin talked about this issue in 1924, about those who cast the vote decide nothing, but those who count the vote decide everything. It has started playing as of now.”
Dr. Tanko Rashid-Computer Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC
This chilling statement underscored the NDC’s concerns that the outcome of the elections could be manipulated through inaccuracies and anomalies in the electoral register. The NDC has repeatedly called for greater transparency and accuracy in the voter registration process, fearing that any irregularities could undermine the democratic process.
Two Major Issues with the Voter Register
The heart of Dr. Tanko’s message revolved around key issues identified in the current provisional voter register. These issues, he argued, are severe enough to warrant nationwide attention.
“We have two major issues that we want the electoral commission to address and we are calling on civil society, the media, and stakeholders in our democracy to come on board on these two issues.”
Dr. Tanko Rashid-Computer Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC
Anomalies in the Provisional Register
While provisional registers are common in the electoral process and meant to allow for corrections before finalization, Dr. Tanko expressed that the anomalies in this case go far beyond simple errors.
“The first one is the anomalies that we’ve seen in the provisional register given to us by the electoral commission. That’s the first one.’’
Dr. Tanko Rashid-Computer Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC
According to him, the register is plagued by issues that cannot be rectified through the normal correction process, such as misspelled names or incorrect dates of birth. These anomalies, he said, were more severe.
“Where we have major corrections and minor corrections, minor corrections can easily be done at the exhibition center.’’
Dr. Tanko Rashid-Computer Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC
Moreover, Dr. Tanko noted that while minor corrections, such as name misspellings or missing details, can be easily fixed at local exhibition centers, larger problems like the inclusion of unqualified or non-existent voters pose a much bigger threat.
“But where you begin to see bloating, padding of figures in the register—serious one,” Dr. Tanko warned, signaling the gravity of this issue.
Dr. Tanko Rashid-Computer Deputy Director of Elections and IT for the NDC
For the NDC, the bloating of the register raises suspicions about the accuracy and fairness of the electoral process. The party insists that these figures must be addressed before the election to avoid a crisis of confidence in the results.
Despite the seriousness of these concerns, Dr. Tanko did not entirely dismiss the possibility of resolving the issues before the election. He acknowledged that the provisional nature of the register offers an opportunity for corrections, but he questioned whether the Electoral Commission and other stakeholders would take the necessary steps to address the more significant problems.
However, he made it clear that simply correcting minor errors would not be sufficient to ensure a credible election. He emphasized that these issues are not just concerns for the NDC but for all Ghanaians who care about the future of the country’s democracy. He noted that; “We are calling on civil society, the media, and stakeholders in our democracy to come on board on these two issues.”
Dr. Tanko’s message was a stark reminder of the importance of electoral integrity in safeguarding democracy. With the 2024 elections fast approaching, his words highlighted the urgent need to ensure that every vote cast is counted accurately and fairly, with a credible voters’ register as the foundation.
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