The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has urged political parties not to allow the raging debate on the voters’ register to overshadow the need for electoral reforms ahead of the 2016 general elections.
CCG made the appeal in a press statement signed and released to the media on Thursday by its General Secretary, Rev Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong.
According to the Christian body, the raging debate on the voters’ register has gradually overshadowed the need for the Electoral Commission (EC) to quickly undertake the necessary electoral reforms as recommended by the Supreme Court in the 2012 election petition hearing.
“The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has observed closely the ongoing debate on the Voters’ Register, and is happy about the interest shown by the various religious bodies, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and political parties on the matter,” the statement noted.
It said “However, the CCG is very much concerned about the fact that the raging debate on the Voters’ Register has gradually overshadowed the need for the Electoral Commission (EC) to quickly undertake the necessary electoral reforms as recommended by the Supreme Court in the 2012 Election Petition Hearing and other CSOs.”
The CCG observed that “Inasmuch as there is the need to ensure that the nation has a credible Voters’ Register, we must also not lose sight of the urgent need to equally engage the EC to quickly undertake the necessary electoral reforms and address the many challenges confronting our electoral process.”
The debate over the compilation of a new voters’ register has intensified, with the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) opposing the demands of opposition parties, particularly the New Patriotic Party (NPP), for a fresh register for Ghana ahead of 2016.
But in the midst of the ensuing tension, the CCG cautioned that “Ghana must quickly put in place a legal framework to address issues pertaining to elections, especially on electoral fraud.”
The EC, it said, “together with other stakeholders should develop innovative ways to minimise the long hours and fatigue that voters have to endure before casting their votes”, urging, “the government [should] provide the EC with the necessary resources on time to enable it execute its mandate effectively.”
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