The National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi Esq. has addressed the public at the party’s nationwide demonstration across all 16 regions of Ghana. This nationwide protest, themed “Enough is Enough,” is aimed at challenging the Electoral Commission (EC) and demanding a forensic audit of the voters’ register before the 2024 elections.

Sammy Gyamfi outlined the importance of the protest and the party’s grievances with the EC, insisting that their demands are grounded in evidence of irregularities within the electoral process. According to Sammy Gyamfi, the NDC has made extensive preparations to ensure the smooth execution of its protest.

“All is set for the historic ‘Enough is Enough’ demonstration against the United Electoral Commission today.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)

Sammy Gyamfi confirmed that the party’s regional executives are in touch with the leadership across all 16 regions to coordinate the demonstration. In Accra, the protest is set to commence at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, with participants converging early in the morning before marching towards Parliament and the Electoral Commission’s headquarters. The protest will culminate with the presentation of two petitions, one to the Speaker of Parliament and the other to the EC, both calling for transparency and fairness in the electoral process.

Demanding a Forensic Audit of the Voters’ Register

Sammy Gyamfi stressed that the central demand of the NDC is for the EC to allow a forensic and independent audit of the voters’ register. The party suspects manipulation and irregularities that could affect the upcoming elections. He criticized the EC for failing to resolve discrepancies in the provisional register. He noted; “If the Electoral Commission has nothing to hide, why are they afraid of a simple audit?”

The NDC’s demand for a forensic audit includes the participation of IT experts from all political parties, who will work alongside the EC’s IT consultants. Sammy Gyamfi explained the rationale behind this, highlighting that the integrity of the IT systems that manage the voters’ register is in question. According to him, there are concerns over unauthorized access to the EC’s database, which could compromise the credibility of the elections.

“We need to be sure that, there are robust security protocols that can and will prevent unauthorized entries into that system for somebody to tamper with the register.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)

Sammy Gyamfi insisted, adding that evidence uncovered so far indicates that the IT systems have been compromised.

Irregularities in the Voter Transfer Process

One of the key issues raised by Sammy Gyamfi was the illegal transfer of voters without their consent, in clear violation of electoral regulations. Sammy Gyamfi cited specific cases in constituencies such as Tamale South and Sagnarigu, where voters had been transferred without their knowledge. “We have now found five additional people who fall within that same category,” he said, pointing to further evidence of tampering within the system. Sammy Gyamfi questioned how local EC officers could gain access to the commission’s IT systems to execute such transfers, calling it a violation of voter rights. “How is that possible? That a common EC returning officer can transfer registered voters in absentia?” he asked, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. In addition to the illegal transfers, Sammy Gyamfi revealed that thousands of voters had been illegally removed from the voters’ register. He expressed concern about the potential impact this could have on the election results, citing past instances where slim margins had determined the outcome of both parliamentary and presidential elections.

“We have come across 3,957 voters whose names have been illegally deleted from the register. We are still finding more because that number is not exhaustive.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)

Sammy Gyamfi emphasized that in a closely contested election, such irregularities could significantly affect the outcome, stressing that “this is a country where somebody can win a parliamentary seat with one vote.”

A Bloated Voter Transfer List

Sammy Gyamfi also discussed the NDC’s discovery of inconsistencies in the voter transfer list.

“Just about 300,000 people transferred their votes in 2024, but the register we have been given, the transfer list the EC has given us, has more than 500,000 names.”
Sammy Gyamfi Esq. the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)

The NDC’s communications officer was adamant that these issues needed to be resolved before the 2024 elections to ensure fairness. He accused the EC of operating in secrecy and colluding with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to manipulate the register in favor of the ruling party. He pointed out; “These are all illegal, opaque transfers that have been done in secret by NPP elements in the Electoral Commission.”

Sammy Gyamfi declared, reiterating the party’s call for accountability and transparency.

The NDC’s protest is a significant part of its broader effort to ensure electoral integrity ahead of the 2024 elections. Sammy Gyamfi’s address underscored the party’s determination to hold the EC accountable and prevent any attempts to manipulate the electoral process. He reiterated; “If the EC is truly committed to conducting free and fair elections, they should have no problem with an independent audit of the register.” Gyamfi raised a signal that the party would continue to push for transparency.