Suggesting that current database is useless can’t be true – CSOs

Senior Vice President of IMANI Ghana, Kofi Bentil, has shot down explanations by the Electoral Commission that existing database of electorates in the country cannot be used for the upcoming election 2020.

The EC has argued amongst other things that the need to go through the painstaking processes to compile a new voters’ register is because, the existing register which was used for the 2016 general elections is not fit for its purpose.

The EC again has emphasized that most of its electronic devices have become obsolete.

But Mr Bentil who addressed the media on behalf of the Coalition of major Civil Society Organisation says, instead of the EC going the full length to overhaul the existing register, it can, as a matter of fact, open a verification method.

He said the current design of the database system makes for mobility of data and modifying.

“…the database is ISO compliant and can be migrated as need be in new electronic environment. The nature and key feature of databases generally are that because of how they’re designed, with the right programmes they can be ported, transferred and accessed across platforms. The present state of all database technology is that, by definition, they can be transferred with relative ease and do not need to be rebuilt entirely each time…” Mr. Bentil said.

He further explained that in critical instances the database can be updated to either remove or include persons in order to fit its purpose.

To further make their point clear, the CSOs further explained that, even though the law emboldens the EC to compile a register, it doesn’t necessarily translate a recreation of information every time.

Meanwhile, the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission has expressed willingness to use data from the National Identification Authority (NIA).

But this is not feasible as the EC has again given reason that the NIA has not completed its data compilation.