Why should use Of Ghana Card for electoral purposes breed suspicion? - Charles Owusu defends EC

Charles Owusu has thrown his support for the Electoral Commission, which is seeking for the passage of a new Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) by Parliament that will ensure the use of the Ghana Card as the only identity card to qualify Ghanaian electorates to be enrolled onto the voters' register.

The new C.I. proposed by the Electoral Commission has been met with intense opposition from the Minority in Parliament and members of the National Democratic Congress.

The opposition has registered their intent to fight against the implementation of this C.I. until their concerns over the Ghana Card are addressed.

They argue that the new C.I. will disenfranchise some Ghanaians but the EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa, has deflated the argument asserting that "the use of only Ghana Card will ensure and guarantee the credibility of the register and elections, prevent enrolment of minors, prevent foreigners from voting, eliminate the guarantor".

“We do not intend to disenfranchise persons who qualify to vote. It is in our interest to register them. It will be an antithesis to deny any Ghanaian the right to vote,” she emphasized while speaking at Parliament.

Contributing to Friday's panel discussion on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, Charles Owusu, a former Head of Monitoring Unit at the Forestry Commission, questioned the NDC's logic in opposing the use of Ghana Card in the electoral process.

"When the banks said they won't accept any identification apart from the Ghana Card, can you send your passport to the bank to collect your money? It is your own money but can you go with your passport and will you get your money?... Why don't we say we won't accept it because the money in the bank belongs to you, so you can't say I should bring only the Ghana Card but rather I choose to bring any other identity?", he queried.

"I can decide to bring health insurance, driving licence or any card but when the bank said this, though it is your money, everybody has accepted it and linked his or her Ghana Card with his/her bank account. Why is it that when it comes to voting, it has become cumbersome that people don't want to understand and support it?", he expressed his disappointment in the NDC.

In defence of the EC, Mr Owusu stressed; "The Ghana Card will give us a clean society so much so that when you take the Ghana Card, you will be so proud that you are a Ghanaian."