The National Coordinator of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Albert Kofi Arhin, has expressed his satisfaction in the current preparation level of the Electoral Commission (EC) towards election 2020.
He indicated that, with about 13 days left to decide as a nation, the electoral commission has been swift in its readiness in conducting the elections.
Mr. Arhin explained that, per their reports, the Electoral Commission is 97 percent prepared towards conducting a smooth election. A mark he said, speaks so highly of the competence and proper planning of the EC.
In comparing the performance of the current EC to previous ones, he noted that, this EC administration has shown better preparations skills as compared to that of previous elections.
He believes that in the coming days, the EC will hit the 100 percent preparation mark and better position the Commission in proving a free, fair and transparent election.
“We haven’t come out with a November report yet but, at least for September and October, we have the report about how the EC is busily going about their preparations. It came out the other day that, they are about 97 percent ready. This goes to say that at least, the sensitive and non-sensitive materials are almost in the regions. Upon our last meeting, they were just left with the presidential ballots that were supposed to be sent to the various regions, and as I am speaking to you now, this have also been done.”
“So the observation of this tells you that, they are poised and they want to really deliver. So from the point of view of CODEO, I will share in their joy because, it is just nice to have about two weeks to the election and you have all your sensitive materials, all been ready and dispatched to the various destination. Kudos to them.”
However, the Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Boamah Otokunor had a diverging view. He said the electoral commission is practicing “self-glorification” whilst there is more work to be done.
Mr. Otokunor argued that, the EC is flawed in its preparations towards the elections. He raised concerns about the state of the voters register given the few days left to the December 7 polls.
“You cannot come to us two weeks to elections and tell us that, you have identified some number of people who are not on the voters’ register but are eligible voters, and that, you are going to create some list and send it to the polling stations or the constituencies so that, we will follow up and identify who and who is a registered voter but is not on the certified voters register that you have given us. I think that is a blot on the integrity of the Electoral Commission.”
Still on the voters’ register, Mr. Otokunor said there has been a case in some part of the Eastern and Ashanti Regions, where some names on the Special Voting list are also on the main certified list instead of the absentees’ list. This he said, if left unchecked can give room for double voting.
