Compilation of a new voters’ register towards the 2020 general election has dominated the airwaves and online news portals in Ghana for the past days.
Several civil societies, influential persons and opposition political parties have called on the electoral commission not to compile a new voters’ register for the 2020 general elections due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the limited time to the election.
The latest to join the call against the compilation of the new register are concerned university lecturers and staff from various Universities in the country. In a press release on 8th June, 2020 monitored by emerginonline.
The group wished the Electoral Commission well in the performance of their duties but to make sure they conduct, free, fair and transparent Presidential and Parliamentary elections in the upcoming general election.
‘’We the undersigned lecturers and staff from the various Universities in Ghana bring you fraternal greetings, and wish you and your team well in the performance of your duties in anticipation of a free, fair and transparent Presidential and Parliamentary elections in December 2020. This letter is necessitated by our concern for free, fair, and transparent elections and the need to ensure that events leading to, during, and after the elections conform to best and widely accepted practices in electoral management’’
The group further added, they are worried about the decision by the EC to compile a new voters’ register, given that the elections are about six (6) months away.
‘’We are particularly worried about the decision to compile a completely new voters’ register given that our country’s constitutionally scheduled Presidential and Parliamentary elections are about six months away. The decision is puzzling for a number of reasons’’
The group also pointed out that, they are more worried about the decision by the Electoral Commission to limit the registration eligibility requirements to passports and NIA cards only.
‘’We are unable to understand why you seem to have lost confidence in voters’ identity cards issued by your office and rather gained confidence in an uncompleted Ghanacard operations being undertaken by the National Identification Authority (NIA)’’
