EC commissioners must be jailed if they cause mayhem - UCC lecturer

A Political Science lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Jonathan Asante Okyere, has questioned the motive of Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) to compile a new voters’ register for the December 7 general elections regardless of the concerns raised by political parties and other stakeholders.

He believes the Commission seems to have a hidden agenda in compiling the new register.

He has indicated that the Commissioners should be held responsible if anything happens during and after the elections.

Jonathan Asante Okyere disclosed this on Friday, May 15 when speaking on the Yensempa morning show on Onua FM.

He maintained that the obstinate behaviour of the Commissioners are suspicious.

He said given the concerns raised about the feasibility of compiling a new register, if the EC goes ahead and anything untoward happens, “I think all these people must go to jail because they are going to cause a mayhem”.

Dr Asante Okyere said the rapid community spread of the Covid-19 and the limited time left to the polls should inform the Commission to keep the status quo.

He told host Nana Yaw Opare that the insistence of the EC to use passport and the new National Identification Authority (NIA) cards as the only eligible documents in compiling the new voter register is circuitous.

He is of the view that the EC only wishes to incur cost with respect to this particular intended action, which is tantamount to causing financial loss to the state and that could land them in trouble if there is a change in government.

The Political Science lecturer categorically stated that not everyone in the country owns a passport likewise about 68 per cent of the population only registered for the NIA card.

An even that, he claims, only 25 per cent have received the card, making it impossible for the EC to compile a new register if the existing card is rejected.

He has asserted that if the Commission goes ahead to compile a new register regardless of these concerns raised by political parties and stakeholders, he would have no option than to believe that the EC is being controlled by some high powers.

Mr. Asante Okyere thus entreated the EC to put into consideration all the concerns and comprehensible questions asked by key stakeholders and stick to the status quo in maintaining peace and order before, during and after the elections.