EC’s newly proposed CI does not pass common sense test

The proposition of the Electoral Commission (EC) to lay a new Constitutional Instrument (CI) to make the National Identification Authority (NIA) card also known as the ‘Ghana Card’ the sole requirement for Voter registration and for that matter voting in the 2024 General Elections does not pass rudimentary, common sense test (CST). This is why!

The decision of the EC to root for the Ghana card to be used for Voter registration instead of conducting continuous registration by using the existing CI for potential Voters in readiness for 2024 is extremely hard to fathom!

Indeed, the newly proposed CI by the EC begs for more critical questions than answers.

Here are some rhetorical questions agitating my mind:

Why should the EC madly rely on the NIA data or the Ghana Card to capture

Ghanaians onto the Electoral Register when NIA itself has not yet finished capturing Ghanaians in its database?

Do the EC officials headed by Madam Jean Adukwei Mensah know that this current CI is going to disenfranchise several Ghanaians, especially those in the hinterlands if allowed to pass and can lead to potential anarchy before and/or during the upcoming General Elections in 2024?

Is there something terribly wrong with the existing biometric data system used for the last 2020 General Elections and therefore necessitating the use of the Ghana Card only for new registrants and voting in 2024 when NIA registration is

incomplete?

Lastly, why the rash to lay this proposed CI in Parliament, and why the long delay (since 2021 until now) in continuing with the registration of qualified Voters as mandated by Law?

Is it not utterly absurd for the EC to suggest that the Ghana card should only be the way to authenticate one’s citizenship as a Ghanaian when NIA registration is ongoing?

So far, the reasons adduced by the EC Chairperson, Jean Mensah and one of his Deputy Directors, Dr. Bossman Asare at the Committee of the Whole in Parliament a few days ago and interview on JoyNews respectively are far from convincing enough to many Ghanaians including me.

Additionally, assurances given by the NIA boss, Prof. Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah and Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta are not adequate to allow this new CI to pass through Parliament without amendment to its current form.

Let us look at what I call common sense theory or test (CST), which is about making decisions or taking actions that are authentic and commonly understood. In my view, the EC is simply using its constitutionally recognized mandate to bulldoze its way with this critical and far-reaching policy through the creation of this newly proposed CI.

In a well-functioning democracy, every key voice in society matters, which is indeed common sense.

It is worthy of mentioning that the conduct of the EC for the past six years has experienced a critical trust deficit among key political stakeholders, especially the largest Opposition (the NDC).

The posture of EC Chairperson, Jean Mensah and Dr. Bossman Asare shows that

the EC will not listen to good reason from concerned Ghanaians and that will further muddy the waters.

The whole confusion against common sense started when the EC did away with birth

certificates and national passports as proof of citizenship for Voters registration, which emanated from the verdict of the Supreme Court of Ghana previously.

The suspicion that the EC has an ulterior motive to create a new Voters Register to disenfranchise many Ghanaians and possibly make it easy to rig the 2024 General Elections is gaining currency through its actions.

This proposed CI by the EC does not only contain the issue of sole Ghana ID demand but also restricts registration centers to the district offices instead of using polling stations, which are closer to registered voters. This can qualify for a pre-election rigging mechanism if allowed to happen in my opinion.

The call by the Minority Caucus, Civil Society Organizations including other well-meaning Ghanaians should continue to resist the EC until the right things are done regarding this newly proposed CI.

Thus, this currently faulty CI should not be allowed to see the light of day in Parliament. The minority MPs are doing very well to resist it but they should not be the only last hurdle to stop the EC from going ahead with this proposed CI. Rather, all well-meaning Ghanaians should also add their voices to stop this proposed CI from sailing through smoothly.

There is obviously no justification for the EC to demand the possession and use of the Ghana Card when its production and distribution by the NIA is challenged by deadly ‘financial constipation’ as described by the NIA boss at the Committee of the Whole in Parliament.

Based on the ongoing debates on this newly proposed CI prepared by the EC without inputs from the largest Opposition Party (the NDC) at the initial stages revealed that the EC needs to work harder to pass the CST that the majority of Ghanaians wish for.

Fortunately, the EC does not need to write and pass the CST in their offices but should listen keenly to the voices of Ghanaians and easily pass the CST once and for all.

Views expressed by Dr. John-Baptist Naah

A concerned Ghana.