NHIS card as a form of identity must be accepted by law

This case about NHIS not legally satisfactory as a national identity for our elections sounds like reactionary argument for some of us and lack progressive merits.We are all very optimistic that the implicit intent of the advocates of the crusade to purge our voters register from NHIS card holders is to deter non-citizens from participating in our elections and not to purge the register from irregularities as we are made to believe so. Under Article 42 of the Constitution, non-citizens are not qualified to register as voters in elections and referenda in Ghana.

But per our understanding, this provision of the law seems reactionary in achieving a broader mass participation in our democracy. It is possible that an NHIS card holder may not be a citizen and therefore cannot be qualified to register as a voter but what is wrong if other nationals in possesion of the card, and who are obliged to pay taxes in the country, are made to register and vote in our elections? It looks very ridiculous to well meaning Pan Afrticanist and supposedly, members of the Convention People's Party, taking into account the fact that all citizens of Commonwealth countries are freely entitled to vote in the United Kingdom!

Non-citizens also pay taxes and are equally affected by the oppressive laws and policies of the State. If we, as a people, are truly revolutionary and Pan Africanist inclined to deepen our democracy for all oppressed people, we would advocate for a broader participation of these people in our struggles and development. Our quest for economic independence is meaningless unless it is linked up to the overall struggles of all oppressed people on the continent. At the moment, I am against the voters' register being purged from NHIS applicants despite even the fact that its been reported that the EC may not have captured NHIS card holders unto the electronic system. Most definitely, such a demand for granting the rights of non-citizen tax payers to register and vote in our elections may not be entertained in the Courts because of the seemingly reactionary limitations we may have imposed on ourselves as a country.

We are so blind not to see the benefits of pursuing a Pan Africanist objective as a people. What has happened to ROPA? Rights of other African nationals to participate and determine the utility of power in this country should be our desired objective. Likewise, an advocacy in other African countries to legalize other African citizens to participate in elections, irrespective of country of origin. We have Nigerians, Togolese, Ivoriens, Liberians, Labenese, Indians and other nationals from other countries who contribute to our GDP. Why can't we involve them in determing which selected group of people should govern this country? My argument sums up what would be the spirit of our NEW Constitution after it has replaced the 1992 Constitution; unity of all oppressed people on the continent.

It will be of great desire that Article 42 of our Constitution be amended - Right to Vote: A progressive constitution for the country would have read.."Every citizen of AFRICA of 18 years or above and of sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referanda."

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