2000, it was bloated, 2005, it was also bloated , even without biometric technology a winner was declared sogive us a break and do some positive campaigning .
2000, it was bloated, 2005, it was also bloated , even without biometric technology a winner was declared sogive us a break and do some positive campaigning .
Doug 8 years ago
A fool who doesn't know mahama is destroying his future.. Kwasia boi. U go sit cafe and comments stupidly.. Wait for the war to start if the EC dare to steal again for the thief..
A fool who doesn't know mahama is destroying his future.. Kwasia boi. U go sit cafe and comments stupidly.. Wait for the war to start if the EC dare to steal again for the thief..
ACIDIC PIGMY 8 years ago
NANA ADDO'S HEIGHT ISSUE IS THE MAJOR PROBLEM WORRYING HIM FROM WINNING THE ELECTIONS ALL THESE DECADES. BUT HIM AND AUNTIE REBECCA AND HIS OFFICIALS AND ADVISERS SEEM NOT TO BE GETTING THIS ISSUE.
THE EARLIER THEY DEAL WI ... read full comment
NANA ADDO'S HEIGHT ISSUE IS THE MAJOR PROBLEM WORRYING HIM FROM WINNING THE ELECTIONS ALL THESE DECADES. BUT HIM AND AUNTIE REBECCA AND HIS OFFICIALS AND ADVISERS SEEM NOT TO BE GETTING THIS ISSUE.
THE EARLIER THEY DEAL WITH THIS HEIGHT ISSUE THE BETTER FOR ALL OF US. SO THAT NANA ADDO CAN WIN AND COME AND DEVELOP GHANA LIKE SWITZERLAND, JUST LIKE HE DEVELOPED KYEBI LIKE PARIS DURING THE 12 YEARS HE WAS THE MP OF THE AREA.
THE HEIGHT IS NOT HELPING!!
Kwobia (Toronto) 8 years ago
This one sided article helps no one.I believe it is the NPP that seems to be fixated by the term "validation" for all that it is worth.With so many problems facing Ghana the NPP and it!s detractors waste so much energy on sid ... read full comment
This one sided article helps no one.I believe it is the NPP that seems to be fixated by the term "validation" for all that it is worth.With so many problems facing Ghana the NPP and it!s detractors waste so much energy on side shows.How many voters are breaking out in cold sweat over the so called bloated voters register?
Abeeku Mensah 8 years ago
Dr. Yaw Ohemeng would serve the nation better to suggest a full proof way of "washing" Ghana's voters register instead of a critique that is typical of Ghana's "esteemed" intellectuals. I would like to remind Dr. Ohemeng that ... read full comment
Dr. Yaw Ohemeng would serve the nation better to suggest a full proof way of "washing" Ghana's voters register instead of a critique that is typical of Ghana's "esteemed" intellectuals. I would like to remind Dr. Ohemeng that we live in a Ghana where not more than 20 years ago a majority of the living in Ghana did not have valid birth certificates and or no official birth registry anywhere. So the question is how many Ghanaians above the age of 40 years do we know can produce a birth certificate and or certificates of parents? And how many of those holding on to Ghanaian passports did indeed produce birth certificates that can withstand strict scrutiny?
All the chatter about EC and a need for a new voter registry come from people who want appearance of having won over the EC; should we not have a birth registry and a death registry to validate each certificate at voter registration centers? Should every eligible applicant go back to their birthplace to complete voter registration since there's no viable and available online access to every birth and death registers for the verification of potential applicants who try to register at their new city/community of residence?
Yaw Ohemeng 8 years ago
This is what frustrates me. We hate reading, and those do, misread all sorts of motives into what they read.
Where in this article have I asked for people to produce birth certificates and all?
All that I have asked fo ... read full comment
This is what frustrates me. We hate reading, and those do, misread all sorts of motives into what they read.
Where in this article have I asked for people to produce birth certificates and all?
All that I have asked for, is for the EC to inform the public on its view of the Panel's report. Which parts of it does it accept and which part does it reject? A public body cannot fund something from public funds and then ignore the outcome without explanation.
What the Panel recommended was for individuals to turn up, put their thumbs on the BVRs to stay on the Register. That is required as a means of weeding out the estimated 600,000 dead persons on the register. Is this a difficult proposition?
That is why I am calling on the EC to forget the term 'validation', which means all sorts of things to all sorts of people to rather concentrate on what the report prescribed.
BOY KOFI 8 years ago
With the Biometric System,I wonder how the estimated 600000 ghosts can pass biometric verification.The problem now is how to weed out the 200000 minors from the register.Thank you.
With the Biometric System,I wonder how the estimated 600000 ghosts can pass biometric verification.The problem now is how to weed out the 200000 minors from the register.Thank you.
KOO 8 years ago
Ghanaians are always looking for simplistic and ad-hoc solutions.We all agree that the voters register is bloated yet all we hear are flimsy reasons, why the right measures cannot be taken to correct it.In many of the countri ... read full comment
Ghanaians are always looking for simplistic and ad-hoc solutions.We all agree that the voters register is bloated yet all we hear are flimsy reasons, why the right measures cannot be taken to correct it.In many of the countries surrounding Ghana proper IDs are issued even though not all may have birth certificates.With all the necessary information entered into a national data,there is no way anyone can alter or make changes.If nothing is done we will all see a marked increase in voter population once again after 2016 elections.After so many years of independence this simple question of who is a Ghanaians cannot be answered, making it easy for anyone from anywhere to take part in our elections.Serious countries know that credible population census is necessary for development.What can we say about Ghana?.We are just a bunch of jokers.
BOY KOFI 8 years ago
The EC has acknowledged that some 200000 minors have got their names on the register.Therefore,you cannot say that the EC has not made any finding about the bloating if I may say.Again,the EC has always given electorates the ... read full comment
The EC has acknowledged that some 200000 minors have got their names on the register.Therefore,you cannot say that the EC has not made any finding about the bloating if I may say.Again,the EC has always given electorates the opportunity to verify their names before the D-day.The only contention I see here is the time table.The Panel suggested that the time table is ineffective and should be extended to allow majority of eligible voters to come and verify their names.I will suggest that it should be opened until ending of October or 3rd day of Nov.This Exhibition is what you can call it validation or verification so it has always existed.The question here now is how do we get minors out of the register?I will not talk about foreigners here because it has not been officially established.I don't see the logic in fighting for validation when it exist already.The only difference here is the period of the excercise.Interestingly,NPP wants us to believe that if you cannot come and verify your name during the Exihibition then you cannot vote in Nov.7th.That is why they are now much attached to the word "validation" but I can tell you it's not different from verification.Thank you.
Yaw Ohemeng 8 years ago
What have I said here, which is dishonest? You are rather trying to deceive by your contribution. I doubt very much if you have accessed a copy of the Panel's report, let alone read it. Let me help you with some of the conclu ... read full comment
What have I said here, which is dishonest? You are rather trying to deceive by your contribution. I doubt very much if you have accessed a copy of the Panel's report, let alone read it. Let me help you with some of the conclusions and let the public judge who is being dishonest.
“Judging by the sheer numbers, the Electoral Commission's proposition to display the Register, with Political Party representatives, the Electoral Commission and citizenry to identify and point out invalid names, is not a viable approach. Particularly when the persons who identify these records are expected to expend their time, energy and resources not only to provide the evidence but also to testify before a court of competent jurisdiction. The efficacy of the current provisions may be assessed by the fact that in spite of this system having been in place, there were 8,000 registrants in 2014 who may have been minors on the list since 2012.”
“Cleaning versus registering anew
Generally, it might be difficult to justify leaving more than half a million invalid records in the Register that we seek to characterize as credible. It may be expedient to try to find a middle ground to creating a new register through a completely new registration process. The Electoral Commission could consider extending the exhibition exercise to have voters confirm their names on the list, an indication that they would want to maintain their voter status. The benefits include signalling that the Electoral Commission is doing something about the known flaws in the Register; the more cost-effective approach is being used. In the same way that a new registration would have required citizens to physically appear for registration, the cleaning would require that they appear to confirm. The major difference is that they spend less time because no forms are filled. Rather than make others responsible for maintaining voters' names on the list, the individuals should themselves do that. This also avoids the issue of people looking for documents to support any claim to get a record removed. This is largely what happens with the current system of hoping invalid names would be detected."
Maame 8 years ago
Sir don't mind those NDC fools who who don't know Mahama is destroying their future and that of their kids...
Sir don't mind those NDC fools who who don't know Mahama is destroying their future and that of their kids...
BOY KOFI 8 years ago
I don't have to go looking for the report if you don't mind.I am only stating the obvious and correcting your statement pertaining to the EC not finding the bloat.To begin with,the allegation of the bloat is based on 3 things ... read full comment
I don't have to go looking for the report if you don't mind.I am only stating the obvious and correcting your statement pertaining to the EC not finding the bloat.To begin with,the allegation of the bloat is based on 3 things.1.The minors.2.The foreigners.3.The number of registered voters is above the African average.I have excused myself not to engaged in the registration of foreigners in our register because it has not been officially established.The essential logic of my statement is that the EC is aware of some registered minors so you cannot say they have not made any finding here.Now it's also clear that not all the eligible voters are still alive since 2012 just as the panel mentioned about 600000 dead so we all agree here.Just as you are talking about the middle way,nobody is disputing it.The contention here is about "validation" and I am saying this is not a different excercise from the "exihibitions" that the EC has been doing always but they have to extend the time table.This Panel Report didn't give any date like I have suggested.Mind you,we are using Biometric Voting Device a modern technology.NPP is only interested in eliminating names from the register,that's their undserstanding of "validation"The EC has also made it clear that it has no mandate to do that until backed by law.For example, if there is a death certificate to confirm then why not?Mind you,the Panel did not talk about foreigners in their report so the invalid names can give something between 800000-90000.The bigest challenge here will be how to get the minors out because of administrative gap.I hope you get my point.Thank you.
Alex 8 years ago
The face of the drum is there but many want to beat it it the side. We all agree that the register is boated. The only way to to downsize it is to do validation backed by law. everything about registration and voting is volun ... read full comment
The face of the drum is there but many want to beat it it the side. We all agree that the register is boated. The only way to to downsize it is to do validation backed by law. everything about registration and voting is voluntary. If we ask people to go for validation or lose their names from the register so be it. It is still voluntary exercise those who are determined to vote will go for the validation. Simply sitar.
Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 8 years ago
It appears Mrs Charlotte Osei, the EC Chair is not serious and has no priorities as far the the Voters' Register and the November 2016 General Elections are concerned. She is becoming another Lauretta Lamptey, the dismissed C ... read full comment
It appears Mrs Charlotte Osei, the EC Chair is not serious and has no priorities as far the the Voters' Register and the November 2016 General Elections are concerned. She is becoming another Lauretta Lamptey, the dismissed CHRAJ Chair. I am soo disappointed in her recent decisions, particularly the personnel changes at the EC and the new loggo that, she could soon fall victims to the same crimes as Lauretta (wasting public funds).
Dr Ohemeng, I believe Ghana is practising liberal democracy and if my belief is right, then whatever system that is put in place to improve the integrity of the Voters' Register, it should not unnecessarily prevent eligible voters or citizens from registering to vote. In other words, citizens or eligible voters should not be disenfranchised because they do not possess certain prescribed documents.
The problem in Ghana stems from the fact that both the two leading parties (NDC and NPP) are fighting to secure a system that would ensure that they have electoral advantage over the other. For example, whilst NDC prefers cleansing of the register that would result in removing under age, double registration and potential the deceased. NPP on the other hand, prefers a new register or validation where every voter would be required to come in person to identify themselves (possibly with some photo ID).
What the two parties are doing is not strange because it happens also in the advanced democracies. For example, in the UK the Conservative government changed the voter registration system to require each individual to register instead of the old system of collective registration by one person in the household. The electoral advantage to the Conservative Party is that the new system has disenfranchised over half a million voters most young people and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people who are less likely to vote Conservative. The same happens in the US where Republican controlled states pass laws to allow gun licence documents as a form of identity to register to vote but not student ID. Both Democrats and Republicans redraw electoral boundaries for political advantage.
Ghana's problem have been compounded by the leadership style of the EC as well as the fact that the debate is often, if not always, conducted in the prism of NDC/NPP hegemony.
Regarding the EC Independent External Advisory Committee's report, is it strange that up till today, Ghanaians cannot agree on what was recommended? It's no strange to me because the committee was unnecessary since the EC had made its views known public in advance. It was just waste of time, resources and a distraction.
Yaw Ohemeng 8 years ago
Morning Kofi. I agree with you that the Committee was unnecessary, especially when the EC also presented a view. But by presenting a view, it was subjecting itself to accepting the recommendations of the Panel.
I do not ag ... read full comment
Morning Kofi. I agree with you that the Committee was unnecessary, especially when the EC also presented a view. But by presenting a view, it was subjecting itself to accepting the recommendations of the Panel.
I do not agree, though, that the NPP is not interested in removing the minors from the register.
My piece here is for the EC to come out with a categorical statement on whether or not it accepts the Panel's recommendations.
I also do not see the Panel's prescribed steps as disenfranchising anybody who is already in the register. The prescribed steps, to me , are so simple. You turn up at your polling station, confirm your name and that is all. This is to be done by placing your thumb on the machine. You do not have to prove anything - that is my understanding of the recommendation.
BOY KOFI 8 years ago
Ofcourse,the EC has always been doing exhibition excercise before the D-day.That's not a new thing but the Panel wanted the EC to extend the date.The idea of extending the date is creating a bit confusion as if it was meant t ... read full comment
Ofcourse,the EC has always been doing exhibition excercise before the D-day.That's not a new thing but the Panel wanted the EC to extend the date.The idea of extending the date is creating a bit confusion as if it was meant to eliminate some eligible voters.Ofcourse,we don't expect all the registered voters to go and vote. NPP has alleged that some foreigners have been also registered.What are we going to do about that?It's only unfortunate that they couldn't substantiate it?Thank you.
2000, it was bloated, 2005, it was also bloated , even without biometric technology a winner was declared sogive us a break and do some positive campaigning .
A fool who doesn't know mahama is destroying his future.. Kwasia boi. U go sit cafe and comments stupidly.. Wait for the war to start if the EC dare to steal again for the thief..
NANA ADDO'S HEIGHT ISSUE IS THE MAJOR PROBLEM WORRYING HIM FROM WINNING THE ELECTIONS ALL THESE DECADES. BUT HIM AND AUNTIE REBECCA AND HIS OFFICIALS AND ADVISERS SEEM NOT TO BE GETTING THIS ISSUE.
THE EARLIER THEY DEAL WI ...
read full comment
This one sided article helps no one.I believe it is the NPP that seems to be fixated by the term "validation" for all that it is worth.With so many problems facing Ghana the NPP and it!s detractors waste so much energy on sid ...
read full comment
Dr. Yaw Ohemeng would serve the nation better to suggest a full proof way of "washing" Ghana's voters register instead of a critique that is typical of Ghana's "esteemed" intellectuals. I would like to remind Dr. Ohemeng that ...
read full comment
This is what frustrates me. We hate reading, and those do, misread all sorts of motives into what they read.
Where in this article have I asked for people to produce birth certificates and all?
All that I have asked fo ...
read full comment
With the Biometric System,I wonder how the estimated 600000 ghosts can pass biometric verification.The problem now is how to weed out the 200000 minors from the register.Thank you.
Ghanaians are always looking for simplistic and ad-hoc solutions.We all agree that the voters register is bloated yet all we hear are flimsy reasons, why the right measures cannot be taken to correct it.In many of the countri ...
read full comment
The EC has acknowledged that some 200000 minors have got their names on the register.Therefore,you cannot say that the EC has not made any finding about the bloating if I may say.Again,the EC has always given electorates the ...
read full comment
What have I said here, which is dishonest? You are rather trying to deceive by your contribution. I doubt very much if you have accessed a copy of the Panel's report, let alone read it. Let me help you with some of the conclu ...
read full comment
Sir don't mind those NDC fools who who don't know Mahama is destroying their future and that of their kids...
I don't have to go looking for the report if you don't mind.I am only stating the obvious and correcting your statement pertaining to the EC not finding the bloat.To begin with,the allegation of the bloat is based on 3 things ...
read full comment
The face of the drum is there but many want to beat it it the side. We all agree that the register is boated. The only way to to downsize it is to do validation backed by law. everything about registration and voting is volun ...
read full comment
It appears Mrs Charlotte Osei, the EC Chair is not serious and has no priorities as far the the Voters' Register and the November 2016 General Elections are concerned. She is becoming another Lauretta Lamptey, the dismissed C ...
read full comment
Morning Kofi. I agree with you that the Committee was unnecessary, especially when the EC also presented a view. But by presenting a view, it was subjecting itself to accepting the recommendations of the Panel.
I do not ag ...
read full comment
Ofcourse,the EC has always been doing exhibition excercise before the D-day.That's not a new thing but the Panel wanted the EC to extend the date.The idea of extending the date is creating a bit confusion as if it was meant t ...
read full comment