Members of the Inter-Party Resistance against the New Voters Register are demonstrating this morning [Tuesday, 21 January 2020] in Kumasi in the Ashanti region.
The group made up of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), the People’s National Convention (PNC), and other smaller parties are kicking against the EC’s decision to compile a new voter’s register. This is the second in a series of demonstrations planned by the group.
Clad in red attire the group marched through the principal streets of Kumasi.
Speaking to Class News, the Director of Elections of the NDC, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah said looking at the massive crowd Ghanaians agree that “the EC and NPP are leading us to path of destruction and we expect you the media to hold them accountable and scrutinise them because its obvious from all the arguments that’ve raised that whatever they are saying for the need for the new voter register just doesn’t make sense. Its either they have an agenda to rig the election or it’s a procurement thing they just want to steal our money…”
The EC believes the integrity of the 2020 polls could be undermined if a new roll and a new Biometric Voter Management System are not put in place.
In a statement, the EC said: “The current kits and solutions are obsolete: They are End-Of-Life (EOL) and can no longer be supported by their Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). The immediate past vendors of the solution proposed that the Commission replace all the equipment and also upgrade the Data Centre. This was rehashed by the Consultants we engaged to audit our systems
“It is important to emphasise that whether we compile a new voters’ register or not, there is the need to acquire new equipment to replace the obsolete kits acquired in 2011. It is therefore important to delink the procurement of equipment and kits from the registration exercise. We state again that whether or not the EC compiles a new register or conducts a limited registration exercise, we will procure new kits to replace the obsolete ones. Additionally, we will acquire a new data centre with robust state-of-the-art servicers and equipment at the cost of 6 Million Dollars instead of upgrading the existing one at the cost of 15 million United States Dollars as proposed by the previous vendors.
“Again, we are replacing the existing software with a new one to enable us own and control our systems unlike the previous situation where the solution was owned, controlled and managed by the vendors.
“There is no doubt that the voter register is bloated. The bloat is because we have not developed an effective way of cleaning the register. The bloated register increases the cost of our elections. The Commission always procures election materials based on the number of registered voters. This causes a lot of waste as the number of registered voters exceeds the actual voters.
“Considering the above challenges, the Commission has come to the conclusion that it will be cheaper and prudent to acquire new BVRs and BVDs which are robust and user friendly than to upgrade old and obsolete ones. Again, the Commission will go ahead with the preparation of a new biometric voters’ register based on the reasons provided earlier”.
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Source: UTV/Class News
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ASIEDU Nketia is now calling for support from the public. This is a failure, and Ghanaians are not in favour of your unnecessary demonstration. In fact the NDC and all of you are wasting time and precious money. You could put to good use the money you are wasting into something which can be of benefit. You are a failure.
Aluta woy3 ***barred word*** saaa! eeeiii ndcfuo agyimi koraa dodo were they born by women? desperation is a disease of psycho ! so when police were sent to protect the npp then in opposition to demonstrate against the Charlotte Osei EC that meat they supported the npp? moy3 nkwaseafuo paaa. Listen they were sent there to teach you sense if you had misbehaved but thank your God you never tried the Lawyer who was our Foreign minister and now the president if Ghana who is bent to use the rule of aw to rule his country. Ndc would have seen bobolebobo if you had tested that your ***barred word*** in Tamale in Oseikrom ! nkwaseafuo why didn't you try to test the strength of Ghana under Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo nanka m b3te biribi! Cowards ! you tried to attack a woman who rubbi*shed your ***barred word*** demonstration which 7s not going anywhere in Aboabo, you were lucky the police swiftly came in nanka mob3te if Ghana is for the ndc mmoa ! who is forcing ndc to register? it is coming on this April and you can opt out and if you try to play the f00 *ool in Ghana you will regret the day those women born you ! if any ndc member and their surrogates who took part in those stu*id demonstrations register when it is opened "MAY GOD PUNISH THEM" and extend to their generations! We can't live with evil people who hate this nation.
Ofuiii bi called Max, do you remember Senchi? Odwan bi ba!!
By their deeds, you would get to know them all. If you asked me, I would say Hon. Kpodo is not qualified to be a politician let alone be a member of Parliament. To decline that opportunity to express his opposing views about the economy for mother Ghana is very sad and unfortunate. A true democrat would not like to miss that chance to demonstrate the views of a potential Government in opposition. If you do appreciate the fundamental principles of Democracy and are accorded the privilege to come so far to represent your people in Parliament you wouldn't like to disappoint your people when it comes to contributing to improving their livelihood. This brings me to my unflinching disproval of the NDC stance of opposition party politicking. It seems to me NDC turns to be an election machine when they are in opposition. To take up a formidable opponent challenge to convince the electorates that they have what it takes to be in Government to turn things positively around becomes a mirage. All lost in falsehood, baseless propaganda derived from trivial issues against the ruling party. Competing with opposing views, well-thought policies to turn things around and visionary leadership in which the electorates can draw their hopes leave much to be desired.
IT IS GOOD THE PUBLIC IS SEEING THE POLICE AS ALSO JONING THE OPPOSITION TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE EC INTENDED NEW VOTER REGISTER. THE POLICE NUMBERS ARE ENCOURAGING FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE DEMO. AYEKOOOO,GHANA POLICE FOR ALWAYS TAKING THE LEAD IN THE DEMO TO REGISTER YOUR DISPLEASURE TO THE EC AND GOVERNMENT