Arthur Kennedy on Implementation of ROPAL

The Electoral Commissioner,
Accra, Ghana

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re: Implementation of ROPAL

A year has passed since the Representation of Peoples’ Amendment bill was signed into law by H.E. President JA Kufuor. Last year, the Diaspora Vote Committee organised a meeting in Montreal to which the Electoral Commission and a number of international organizations, with expertise in the process of people voting outside their country of origin were invited. Unfortunately, the Electoral Commission’s designated representative was unable to attend. The meeting had a very fruitful discussion and sent a memorandum to the EC with suggestions on how to implement the law.

Sir, the failure of your organization to honour the DVC’s invitation, coupled with the rise in political tensions that characterised the enactment of this law, has led to unhealthy speculation about the intentions of the EC that must be addressed as quickly as possible. There are those who accuse your commission of delaying the implementation in deference to the NDC which is clearly opposed to the law.

Sir, failure to implement this law that was passed to restore to a significant portion of our citizenry, rights they were guaranteed at the moment the 1992 constitution was adopted will be a travesty. It will be wrong. It will be unconstitutional. I urge that consistent with your constitutional and legal obligations, you release to the public implementation guidelines if they are complete or update the public on the status of development of these guidelines with the appropriate timelines.

Finally, it is my fervent hope that you will together with the relevant ministries, act to affirm the faith of Ghanaians abroad and make their citizenship complete by helping them vote in the 2008 elections.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Yours Faithfully,

Arthur Kennedy

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