The Ashanti Regional Nasara Coordinator of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has backed the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to compile a new register ahead of the 2020 general elections.
Alhaji Saalim Bamba said the EC was acting within its mandate as enshrined in the constitution and that the compilation of a new register would ensure a credible election that would further deepen the country’s democracy.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi, Alhaji Bamba said the EC was mandated to manage elections in Ghana and must be given the space to perform its constitutional duty.
“The Commission has assessed their system and come to the conclusion that there is the need to compile a new voter register based on information available to them”, he pointed out.
He said the NPP had since 2016 proven that the existing register contained the names of foreigners and had since advocated a new register which was in line with the position of the EC.
The Nasara Coordinator said even though the NPP won the 2016 election with the current register, the party’s position on the register still remained unchanged.
He said the protest by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) against the new register was untenable because the EC had not breach any of the electoral laws governing its operations.
He also disagreed with the argument that there was limited time for the EC to compile a new register and called on all stakeholders to support the EC to deliver a credible register.
“This is the time for us to get a credible register which will be accepted by all parties ahead of the election”, he stated.
He entreated people of Zongo communities to register in their numbers not only for election purposes, but also to be able to access other public services as Ghanaians.
According to him, the current voter’s ID cards would cease to be valid immediately the new ones were produced, and it was important for everybody to have the new one.
Source: GNA
