Dr. Omane Boamah confronts EC official over directive barring political parties from observing voter transfer exercise

The Director of Elections and IT of the opposing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has gone bonkers over a directive by the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) for its district officers not to allow political party agents observe the ongoing voter transfer exercise.

The NDC Director of Elections confronted an official of the EC at the old headquarters of the commission where the voter transfer exercise is taking place for some constituencies in Accra after the official informed him about the directive.

A video of the incident shared by JoyNews showed Dr. Omane Boamah telling the official that the commission's order was illegal and he should not adhere to it.

"We came here to talk to this gentleman who is working for the Electoral Commission of Ghana. He says that he has received a memo from the Electoral Commission which says 'he shouldn't allow agents of political parties to observe the transfer process'.

"This directive is not found in any electoral law, not found in CI 91 as amended by CI 216, not found in CI 127. It is not found in any electoral law. So why will they be implementing such a directive?" he fumed.

He added, "So, I told him if the EC directs you to cheat for the NPP, you are going to do it because what you are implementing currently frowns upon transparency."

The NDC election director went on to instruct his party's agents not to allow any person who is not a resident of their constituencies to be transferred there.

"Please stay around peacefully but make sure nobody who does not live within the place or who has not lived there for more than 12 months is allowed to register. The rest of it we are dealing with it.”

Earlier, GhanaWeb reported that the commission had ordered its regional directors to prevent political parties from observing the ongoing voter transfer exercise.

The order comes after reports of violence at some centres where voter transfer exercises are taking place, including the Kasoa EC office.

At Kasoa for instance, a son of the Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East, Mavis Hawa Koomson, was reportedly stabbed during an altercation with some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Sunday, June 2, 2024, over the transfer of voters to the Awutu Senya East Constituency.

In a letter to its regional directors, which was shared by Oyerepa TV, the EC ordered its district officers not to allow agents of the various political parties to observe the voter transfer exercise.

"The Commission's attention has been drawn to the violent clashes occurring at some of the District Offices as a result of the transfer of votes exercise.

"Regional Directors are to inform District Officers not to allow agents of political parties to observe the transfer of votes exercise with effect from tomorrow, Monday, June 3, 2024," parts of the letter, dated Sunday, June 2, 2024, read.

The commission indicated there was no need for the transfer exercise to be monitored because political parties would be given the list of persons who have been transferred upon request.

"Pursuant to Regulation 22 (8) of C.I. 127, Returning Officers are required to give copies of the transferred voters' list to political parties and candidates upon request. District Officers should ensure that they strictly adhere to this requirement," the statement added.

BAI/ ADG

Meanwhile, catch up on the latest edition of The Lowdown on GhanaWeb TV as Etsey Atisu sat down with the MP for Mpraeso, Davis Ansah Opoku, to discuss issues surrounding the E-Levy, the Saglemi Housing Controversy, and the OSP Impeachment:





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