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Though Ghana’s Constitution has mandated the Electoral Commission to have control and direction on electoral processes in the country, former Finance Minister, Yaw Osafo Mafo believes the same Constitution demands EC to be open with its operations to Ghanaians.

In emphasis, the former Akyem Oda Constituency Member of Parliament said as EC remains number one public officer and receives money from the Consolidated Fund as per the country’s Constitution inscription, every public officer is under the law.

Speaking on Okay Fm’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, Osafo Maafo insisted insofar as Electoral Commission remains a public office which funds its operations from the Consolidated Fund, it owes allegiance to the state and must be transparent and accountable to the country.

His comment is based on the fact that the Electoral Commission has not been transparent with the allegations of fraudulent in the voters’ register raised by the opposition NPP that it has discovered some names have been scanned in the register and inaccuracies in the voter population in some electoral areas.

“Of course EC is guaranteed with its independence to operate without control and direction but it does not mean it shouldn’t be accountable and transparent to anybody. It doesn’t mean you can do whatever you like; no public office has that right,” he stated.

He indicated there are instances that individuals have demonstrated to EC in court on its wrong doings; thus the constitution restricts the rights of individuals and institutions by enforcing them to be transparent and accountable.

He stressed the Electoral Commission should be fair enough to either affirm or deny the allegations raised by the NPP before calling for public forum to discuss the current voters’ register.

To him, it beholds on EC to be accountable on the allegations raised on the current voters’ register to make clear whether true or not some names have been scanned into the register and also it bleeds with foreign nationals and minors before addressing the issue.

He however wondered on the basis for the EC’s call for the public forum; describing the October 29 and 30 public forums calling for stakeholders’ presentation on the way forward on the current voters’ register as ‘unnecessary’.