Wereko-Brobby is ignorant of electoral processes - Hawa Koomson

The knowledge of Dr. Charles Wereko Brobbey, the Chief Policy Analyst at the Ghana Institute for Public Policy Options (GIPPO) over electoral processes has been questioned by the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Hon. Mavis Hawa Koomson.

In her assessment of Dr. Wereko Brobbey’s presentation on the current voters’ register organized by the Electoral Commission at Alisa Hotel, the latter has exhibited ignorance in justifying the need to maintain the current register for the next elections.

Dr. Wereko Brobbey speaking at the public forum on the call for a new voters’ register has warned the Electoral Commission to take its own steps in solving its own problems without relying on any help from the US government.

Dr. Wereko-Brobbey showed a report that counties in the US have very bloated registers adding that people, not the paper, is the ultimate subject that ought to be reformed.

In his presentation, he also stated that every voters’ register used in Ghana since 1992 has been bloated, adding both the NDC and the NPP has benefitted from the bloated register in elections.

“Every single register used since 1992 has been bloated. Let’s not worry too much about register if it is bloated. Indeed, both parties have benefitted from bloated registers so do we declare the past presidents illegally elected? He asked rhetorically.

But reacting to this, Hon. Hawa Koomson told Peacefmonline.com that “Dr. Charles Wereko Brobbey is ignorant of what happens on the grounds during registration exercises and voting at the polling stations”.

She rhetorically quizzed “how does one challenge a minor or a foreigner brought by the political party that wins massively in that zone? Adding, “One risks being beaten to pulp or chased out of the place during the registration."

She elaborated, alleging that even those who are challenged, at the committee sitting after finding them to be ineligible to register and vote, the Electoral Commission clandestinely gives their ID cards to them.

“Those cards destroyed in the presence of the committee members are printed and given to the challenged people; you see those people with ID cards in queues voting even though they are deemed to have been declared not eligible to vote,” she asserted.

Hon. Hawa Koomson has however contested the laws governing these eligible registrants and voters, saying they must be changed completely.

“Even if the EC must go to court to have names expunged from the register, this process can take forever before it can be achieved. In effect, there is the need to totally overhaul our electoral system to ensure a chaos-free polls next year,” she appealed.