'It’ll be difficult for EC to compile new register' – Amaliba

The Director of Legal Affairs of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Abraham Amaliba, has stated that the Electoral Commission (EC) is not well armed with logistics to carry out the forthcoming voter registration exercise.

Mr Amaliba told Class News that the registration will be difficult to carry out because the process is not all about “assemblying people and announcing to them that they are going to start.”

He added that this difficulty has resulted in the delay in executing the registration process.

“As we speak, the machines for the registration are not yet in the country. They have not yet taken delivery of them… The EC talked about starting the process way back in April. We’re in May. They are now proposing June. I am saying that it is going to be difficult for them to execute this task,” he said.

The EC will be compiling a new register next month for this year’s polls. The NDC has objected to this idea because in the view of the biggest opposition party, the existing one is credible enough for an election.

Meanwhile, a pressure group known as the Coalition of Voters Without Ghana Card has threatened to take legal action against the EC’s decision to proceed with the voter registration exercise.

According to the group, using the Ghana card and passport as a requirement for acquiring the new voter ID card would disenfranchise the majority of eligible Ghanaians.

Thus, the group’s Convener, Mr Patrick Kwesi Afeavor, told Class News that if the EC fails to rescind its decision, its members will sue the electoral management body.

“This issue of using the Ghana card is a no no”, adding: “Should they give us the date or should they tell us that they are going to continue this, we are heading to the Supreme Court,” Mr Afeavor said.