NDC misinforming public about non-existent issues in voter register - EC deputy commissioner

The Deputy Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) in charge of Corporate Services, Dr. Bossman Asare, has asserted that the demands of the opposition National Democratic Congress related to the voter register are unnecessary.

According to him, the NDC has been misleading the public by exaggerating the issues it has raised in the Provisional Voter Register for the pending December 7, 2024, general election.

Dr. Asare, who made these remarks in an interview on JoyNews’ NewFile programme, on September 14, 2024, added that all the issues with the register have been resolved.

“They are misinforming the people. They seem to be exaggerating problems in the register which are non-existent. The commission has made it very clear openly to the NDC, openly to the good people of Ghana, and international partners that we have a register that is robust and credible,” he said.

Asked whether his tone was the right approach to resolve issues with the NDC, the EC deputy chairperson reiterated, “I was making the point that they are misinforming their members about their problems. But we are saying we have resolved them.”

He also indicated that the announced demonstration by the NDC was unnecessary because some of the issues the party raised have been resolved through the voter exhibition process and the remaining issues, including the wrongful removal of people from the register, are being handled.

He added that the EC has been making efforts to bring the NDC on board to show it the updated register.

“So, the plan was to meet them later within a week. And as I mentioned to you, when you finish the exhibition, there are certain legal processes – what you read in Regulation 23. The magistrate is going through that process, objections, inclusions in that manner. And all these are names that must be input in the register, some of them must be removed and the commission is working on that.

“And it’s the reason why we are saying that His Excellency the former President (John Dramani Mahama), a respected statesman, bring your party to the discussion table. Because NDC; Dr Omane Boamah wants a credible register, the EC, that is what we do for a living. And we have to make sure, do everything to ensure we have that. So, if you have doubts, let’s meet at the discussion table. The EC will show you all the evidence. The ones you still claim you have, bring them to us.”

Meanwhile, the demands of the NDC, including a forensic audit of the register and it being exhibited for the second time, remain unchanged.

“After our meeting last week with the EC about the unfit-for-purpose voters register, three (3) INTERCONNECTEDLY DEPENDENT/CONDITIONAL issues stood out:

1. Our non-negotiable demand for an independent forensic audit,

2. Submission of our findings for the forensic audit, and

3. RE-EXHIBITION of the register after the forensic audit.

"The 4th issue is the UNDENIABLE fact that we (NDC) left our hard drive with the EC, and requested that they provide us with their so-called updated register,” Dr. Omane Boamah, the Director of Elections and IT of the NDC, wrote on Facebook on September 13, 2024.

He listed the following as the irregularities his party has found in the voter register:

1. 243,540 Previous Transfers illegally added to 2024 Transfers, including repetition of illegally transferred names.

2. 15,000+ Unidentifiable voter transfer paths (due to fake registration of voters???). Where were they originally registered?

3. 3,957 voters in the 2023 register but deleted from the 2024 Provisional Register due to transfer.

4. 2,094 voters transferred to different polling stations but not found in the Absent Voter List as required by law.

5. Corrupt files not showing names and photos of the registered voters (what if this happens on election day?).

6. More anon...

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