Dr. Kwaku Azar Asare has sounded the alarm, highlighting Afrobarometer’s disturbing revelation that two-thirds of Ghanaians have lost faith in the Electoral Commission.
Dr. Azar Asare stated that to restore trust, swift parliamentary action is required to appoint an independent auditor to scrutinize the voter registration system and deliver a report by October 15.
Dr. Azar Asare proposed an urgent audit of the voter registration system to restore public trust, ease rising political tensions, and prevent potential post-election disputes.
“Objective: to assess and recommend mechanisms to enhance the accuracy, completeness, integrity, privacy, and transparency of the voters’ register. Review the voter registration process, transfer process, and voter details update processes and recommend improvements”.
“Assess the accuracy of the register of voters in terms of completeness of the details of voters’ data, matching of voters details (Biometrics) to the voter; occurrence of multiple entries, and the existence of deceased voters”.
Dr. Kwaku Azar Asare
Dr. Azar Asare stated that the audit must ensure that all voter transfers between constituencies or polling stations were valid, confirmed directly by the voters themselves, and initiated by them, rather than by unauthorized parties.
He stated that the audit must verify that only authorized personnel have access to the voters’ register and ensure that no transfer or modification can be initiated without the explicit consent of the voters involved.
The legal expert indicated that additionally, the audit should confirm that newly added voters meet all eligibility requirements.
Dr. Azar Asare emphasized that the audit must identify and remove any duplicate entries, such as multiple registrations by the same individual, and thoroughly cross-check the register to eliminate the names of deceased individuals.
He stated that an audit is essential to validate the biometric voter verification system, ensuring that all registered voters possess valid and unique biometric data.
Audit To Enhance Voter Register Accuracy
Furthermore, Dr. Kwaku Azar Asare emphasized that the audit must propose specific actions and reforms to enhance the accuracy, transparency, and fairness of the voters’ register.
These measures, according to Dr. Asare, should aim to safeguard voters’ rights and uphold the integrity of the electoral system.
He noted that the audit must be completed by October 15, with all recommendations implemented by October 30 and the auditor must then confirm the implementation by November 5.
“The final audit report must be made public to ensure full transparency and accountability. The audit must comply with all relevant election laws and international best practices related to data privacy, voter rights, and electoral integrity”.
Dr. Kwaku Azar Asare
Meanwhile, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai emphasized that internal audit systems are integral to the organization and operate under the direct control of its management.
Dr. Justice Srem-Sai explained that this is precisely why external audit systems are established. Their role is to independently verify the claims made by the organization and assess the effectiveness of its internal audit processes.
“Now, there’s evidence that the voter register has some severe flaws. The Electoral Commission claims that it has used its existing internal processes to fix the flaws. Considering that the Commission’s internal processes couldn’t detect the flaws in the first place, it stands to reason that the Commission’s claims – that they have fixed the flaws – be verified”.
Dr. Justice Srem-Sai
Dr. Justice Srem-Sai questioned the most effective way to validate the Electoral Commission’s claims, suggesting that an independent external audit is the best approach.
He emphasized that such an audit would provide an impartial assessment, offering credibility and transparency to the process.
As such, the legal expert reinforced the need for third-party verification to ensure public trust and confidence in the Commission’s operations.
He noted that conducting an independent external audit would significantly enhance public trust in both the Electoral Commission and the overall electoral process.
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