The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has said it may resort to the alternative of using the current voters’ register for the 2020 general elections if the coronavirus pandemic prevents the commission from compiling a new one.
According to the Director of Electoral Services at the Commission, Dr Serebour Quaicoe, the alternative will mean a limited registration and validation exercise will have to be conducted in order to ensure the credibility of the existing register.
The Commission since the discussion on the need for a new register began has maintained it can only ensure a free, fair and credible 2020 Parliamentary and Presidential election if the existing register is changed.
Though numerous Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Political parties and members of the public have opposed the idea, the commission, in series of interviews this week insisted on going ahead with the new register even with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, Dr Serebour indicated that the Commission may consider using the old register for the conduct of the 2020 polls.
“There is the possibility we could use the current register for election 2020, but remember, some over 1 million Ghanaians may not be registered. I know someone who came from outside and wants to contest in the primaries but he doesn’t have a voter’s register
“We have stated our case that using the current register is not fit for purpose, it will cause issues, but we are not insensitive to what Ghanaians are saying. I don’t want any of my family members to contract the disease, everything we are doing now is just preparing if the pandemic is over, ” he said.
Dr Serebour added, “the alternative will also mean limited registration and validation which may also bring human contact so there’s no way whether new or old, we can avoid human contact.”
Meanwhile, the Commission continues to engage with its advisors for a final decision on the issue, studying trends in some other countries, Dr Serebour added.
source:Abcnewgh.com
