The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been 'fighting' the Electoral Commission (EC) over its decision to compile a new voters' register.
According to them, there is nothing wrong with the old register which was used in 2016; apart from that, they claim a new one is expensive.
Recently the NDC has accused the EC and the National Identification Authority (NIA) of conniving to rig the upcoming election in favour of the ruling government.
National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammy Awuku reacting to this said the NDC's argument on the new voters' register is 'fundamentally flawed'.
He does not understand why the NDC thinks it is right for the EC to conduct a limited registration exercise but wrong to compile a new voters' register.
"If they want us to use the voters’ register used in 2016, that argument is fundamentally flawed . . . even if the EC decides not to compile a new register, they would have to conduct a limited registration exercise. They (NDC) claim the EC can conduct a limited registration exercise but immediately the issue of a new voters’ register comes up they bring in COVID-19, and I find that argument a bit strange," he stated while contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM’s morning show 'kokrokoo’.
Listen to Sammy Awuku in the video below.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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I was fortunate enough to have read some law courses for 3 academic years during my UCC Bcom programme. What does the law say in relation to Citizenship? Article 6 to 10 of the Constitution of Ghana defines who a Citizen is. Again Citizenship Act, 2000 says a person acquires citizenship of Ghana by BIRTH, MARRIAGE, ADOPTION, OR NATURALIZATION. EC may have a good intention, but no where is the Ghanaian Constitution does it says having a Passport or Ghana Card would show that you are a citizen of Ghana. Denying a Ghanaian Citizen the right to register and vote, on the basis that s/he does not have a Ghana Card or a Passport is null and void. It is UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
THE NATIONAL I.D. CARD IS THE BASIC DOCUMENT OF IDENTIFICATION IN ALL PROGRESSIVE AND DEVELOPED NATIONS. BY EXTENSION, THE NATIONAL I.D. INCLUDES THE PASSPORT OF A PARTICULAR NATION. IT IS THE REQUIRED STANDARD IN EVERY NATION TO OBTAIN THE NATIONAL I.D. AS A PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP EITHER BY BIRTH OR THROUGH PARENTS OR BY NATURALIZATION. WITH THE PHOTO OF THE PERSON AND OTHER FEATURES, THE NATIONAL I.D. BECOMES THE STANDARD SOURCE OF IDENTIFICATION BY WHICH ALL OTHER I.D. CARDS ARE DERIVED. SUCH OTHER I.D. CARDS INCLUDE DRIVING, EMPLOYMENT, VOTING, AND MANY OTHERS WHICH ARE CONNECTED TO THIS BASIC NATIONAL I.D. AS TIME GOES ON THE PROCESS TO ACQUIRE THE NATIONAL I.D. SHOULD BECOME REGULAR AT THE DEPARTMENT DESIGNATED FOR THAT PURPOSE. CONTAINING THE DATE OF BIRTH AND PHYSICAL ADDRESS THE NATIONAL I.D. SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPTS AN INDIVIDUAL AS A QUALIFIED VOTER AT A DESIGNATING POLLING STATION. SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE GOING TO USE THE NATIONAL I.D. AS THE SOURCE DOCUMENT TO OBTAIN THE VOTERS CARD, THE OLD VOTERS CARD WHICH EXISTED BEFORE GHANA CARD AND THEREFORE NOT CONNECTED TO IT CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AS A PRIMARY CARD TO THE VOTER'S CARD. HENCE, IT IS NOT PIRATICAL AND REASONABLE TO USE THE OLD VOTERS CARD FOR THE NEW CARD. AS TIME GOES BY AN OLD VOTERS CARD COULD BECOME USEFUL TO RETRIEVE SOME INFORMATION FROM THE GHANA CARD BECAUSE IT WOULD BE CONNECTED TO IT. IN VIEW OF SUCH DEVELOPMENT THE ADMISSION OF REFEREES TO VOUCH FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT HAVE GHANA CARD NOR PASSPORT CANNOT BE ENTERTAINED FOR LONG . THE PRACTICE SHOULD NOT BE ENTERTAINED BEYOND THE DECEMBER 2020 ELECTIONS, AS WE THRIVE TO MEET GLOBALLY ACCEPTABLE STANDARD. THE RULE OF THE RIGHT TO VOTE DOES NOT ANYWHERE NEGATE THE EFFORT OF THE INDIVIDUALS TO PROVE THEIR IDENTITY AS CITIZENS. ALL NEED TO SATISFY THE THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS.
Kudos to the EC for her determination to produce a new and more credible Voters' register, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. To be honest, if EC fails to do so, I would be very much disappointed because of the NDC's stance against the new register. And I'm very confident the EC-Boss, whom I affectionately call Jean, a woman of formidable intelligence will successfully produce a new and more credible register for mother Ghana. Let the NDC beat the war drums on the side of the coronavirus and the EC will work assiduously within the restrictions of the COVID- 19 protocols. Jean will make mother Ghana proud!