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Current Biometric voter registration device not obsolete, Jean Mensa lied - IPRAN

NKETIA ASEIDU Johnson Aseidu Nketia

Tue, 3 Mar 2020 Source: www.ghanaweb.com

The Inter-Party Resistance against the New Voters Register has reiterated that they are ready to do everything to scuttle plans by the Electoral Commission to compile a new voters’ register ahead of the 2020 General Elections.

According to the group, they have enough evidence to prove that the Electoral Commission is only interested in wasting resources on the project which has the potential to jeopardize the fledgeling democracy, peace and stability in the country.

“The Inter-Party Resistance Against the New Voters Register is determined, to do everything possible within the remits of the law to resist the devious machinations and reckless attempt by the EC to waste the public purse on a needless compilation of a new voters register, which has the potential to jeopardize our fledgling democracy and the peace and stability we are enjoying as a country.”

Speaking at a Press Conference, General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Aseidu Nketia who addressed the media, revealed that they reached out to the manufacturers of the biometric verification device (BVD) and they confirmed the BVDs and Biometric voter registration (BVR) device are not obsolete and can be used for the upcoming election.

This revelation, he adds, confirms that the EC’s Chairperson, Jean Mensah has been lying to Ghanaians He said “The manufacturers have spoken.

The current tried and tested BVDs and BVRs are robust and efficient. We commend the manufacturers for the speedy response to our enquiry. Indeed our long-held position has been strengthened by their ardent corroboration of the technical views expressed by our technical team and other CSOs in the country.”

He added that they are very confident the compilation of the new register which is scheduled for April 18 will not come on. This, he adds, will also expose the Electoral Commission. “If you doubt us that will be the first exposure about the lies they have been telling the nation.

You are now in the process of procurement, we are in March so between today and 18th April you have to bring samples or prototype of your equipment to go and do pilot registration, train everybody before you come and start the registration.

Unless they want to create confusion they will not even be in a position to begin the registration on the 18th. We don’t believe they can, so the issue about what we’ll be doing on the 18th does not arise at all,” he added The Electoral Commission is facing massive opposition in its attempt to introduce a new voters’ register with only a few months to a major election in the country.

One of the main critics of the EC’s new voters’ register is the opposition NDC. The NDC has accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of trying to rig the upcoming elections in favour of the NPP government.

They also said the cost of the registration which is over GH¢400 million is a waste of national resource as that amount can be used to solve pressing challenges in the country.

The NDC in protest of the compilation of the new register has embarked on a nationwide demonstration to stop the EC from embarking on this project. So far, demonstrations have been held across the country to express their displeasure.

However, the EC has emphasized that the there is a need to compile the new voter registration as the existing biometric system is outmoded and expensive to maintain, hence the need to go in for a new one at a cheaper rate.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has set April 18, 2020, for the compiling a new voters’ register. The Commission intends to complete the exercise by May 30, 2020, before exhibiting the register from August 15 to August 28, 2020.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com