New voters register not panacea for credible poll - NGO

A new voters' register is not a panacea to ensuring credible general election in 2016, Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF), a non-governmental organization said on Monday.

He therefore called on the Electoral Commission not to succumb to unnecessary pressures from political parties, and civil society organizations to creating a new voters register for Election 2016.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Sunyani, Mr Ahenu pointed out that so far as the two major political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were desperate for power, the credibility of new voters register would be compromised.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of GLOMEF, an anti-corruption and media advocacy organization, the NDC and NPP were responsible for the incredibility of the national voters register.

He accused both parties of encouraging and motivating minors and foreigners especially in Ashanti and Volta regions, strongholds of the NPP and NDC respectively to participate during the voters registration exercise, though not eligible, win their ballots during general elections.

Mr Ahenu emphasized the need for the government to resource the National Identification Authority (NIA) so that it could provide comprehensive database of all Ghanaians.

He observed that if this is done, the voters register could be compiled from the database and be updated in every election year.

Mr Ahenu reiterated that the EC remained a non-partisan and constitutional body, and advised Ghanaians to allow the Commission to discharge its constitutional responsibilities without obstruction.