Christian Professionals warn EC against new voter register

Faith-based organization League of Concerned Christian Professionals (LCCP) is worried the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) could threaten the country’s peace if it goes ahead to compile a new voters’ register.

At a press conference in Tamale, the group described as needless and a waste of time and resources the desire by the EC to compile a new voters’ roll.

The group is made up of representatives of all churches in the five regions of the north.

Addressing the journalists, Chairman of LCCP Andrew Dokurgu said his members are alarmed at the zeal with which the EC has held on to the decision to compile the new voters’ register.

He stated without reservation that any attempt to compile the register will not augur well for the conduct of free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections.

“The compilation of a new voters’ register is not only unnecessary, but a futile exercise doomed to failure and potentially perilous for the conduct of the next general elections,” he said.

Mr. Dokurugu mentioned the existence of a credible register, challenges associated with transporting registration materials and lack of consensus as some factors that make the exercise unnecessary.

He added that with barely five months to go to the polls, the EC is yet to get an exercise started across the whole country.

This he described as impossible.

“Most of the peaceful instabilities in the West African sub-region were related to election misunderstandings and the EC needs to take a cue from that.”

Touching on the coronavirus pandemic, he said it will be a burden for electorates to travel to their hometowns to register.