Election 2020: Ask Supreme Court to vary ROPAA judgement – MP urges EC

The Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Rockson Dafeamekpor has urged the Electoral Commission to, as a matter of urgency, apply to the Supreme Court to vary its judgment for implementation of the Representation of the People’s Amendment Act, ROPAA.

The Supreme Court in its ruling ordered the EC to implement the Act to enable Ghanaians living abroad to partake in the country’s elections which was passed under the Kufuor administration.

Speaking to Starr News, the member of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee in parliament said although the EC has presented CI to parliament for pre-laying formalities, it has become evidently clear the commission cannot execute the order of the apex court given the Covid-19 instigated lockdowns and closure of airports.

According to him, the Supreme Court can vary its judgment for implementation to be delayed till the 2024 Elections.

He said “They also brought to parliament some regulations, some constitutional instruments, with respect of operationalization of ROPAA and that was brought for purposes of relaying. So, it’s before the committee, we haven’t convened on that matter because the signals from EC perhaps indicates that they may not have the time to pursue it because there are time frames indicated clearly in that CI.”

He explained “for instance, that CI speaks of about 64 counties that will be where the ROPAA will be implemented and then the consular offices and our high commissions at registration centers. And the appointment of ambassadors and high commissioners as registration officers. All these things are contained in that CI.”

“In my humble opinion, they [EC] have to go back to have that judgement varied to the effect that by as much as practicable, they should operationalize ROPAA, so that the practicality of the implementation would be subject to the exigencies of the times we are in.”