<<Print>>

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to increase its consensus building efforts, especially with political parties.
 
“As a stakeholder, we wish to receive formal correspondence from the commission on activities that we are required to play a part instead of through the media so as to help in getting our members and the general public to participate fully,’’ the party’s acting General Secretary, Mr John Boadu has stated. 

In a statement, he declared that as ‘ we approach the election, it is expected that the commission would be more transparent and ensure inclusiveness of stakeholders in its activities.’’

Urgent redress

Expressing some concerns for urgent redress as  the commission prepared  towards the 2016 General Election, Mr Boadu said the party had observed that the commission was commencing voter registration in prisons across the country per letters emanating from some district offices.

However, he said there had been no notification to political parties to inform them so that they have the opportunity to monitor the process as had been the practice.

Second, Mr Boadu requested the EC to make known the modalities in place towards foreign registrations for this year's election, as well as particulars of the existing foreign registrations done earlier by the commission.

 Third, he noted that a release from the commission on challenges encountered with the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration on the August 19 exercise and the decision to extend the registration hours to 8 p.m. on that day and an additional day extention to the August 27 2016.

Consultation

 The general secretary said the NPP  wish that much as the C.I 91 granted this activity of the Commission in consultation with political parties, the parties would have been duly notified and consulted before any such decisions were taken.

 Fourth, Mr Boadu stated that the procedures announced for proxy vote had to be reviewed, explaining that the commission’s directive that a prospective proxy could go to the commission and pick up forms for the applicant should not be the case because of the inherent abuse.

"I refer to Regulation 25 (2) of C.I 94 which states that "The applicant shall complete a proxy form set out in Form Six of the Schedule". What this means is that nobody can make or complete proxy forms on behalf of an applicant,’’ Mr Boadu declared.

The commission, he said, had also decided to do this exercise at all district offices and the headquarters and  wondered  why the EC headquarters must be part of this as it's not even a registration centre. 

Mr Boadu urged the Commission to engage the parties on this exercise to ensure effective monitoring, adding that an early response to the concerns is  anticipated.