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The role played by Messrs Superlock Technologies Limited (STL) � an Israeli company � in Ghana�s electoral process has been challenged. The various pressure groups pushing for an entirely new voter register suspect that the company, which was contracted by the Electoral Commission (EC) to compile the existing register which was used for the 2012 general elections, massaged the figures by putting some �ghost� names in it. They have therefore expressed fear that the same thing could happen if allowed, as the country gears up for the 2016 general elections. The groups include the Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA), Movement for Change (MFC), Alliance for Accountable Governance, CHAMPS and other affiliates like the New Patriotic Party (NPP). �We know that STL compiled a register which allowed multiple registrations in selected areas of the country to remain on it,� convener of LMVCA, David Asante, noted in a statement issued in Accra yesterday. They therefore want the STL � which is said to be compiling a biometric register for members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) � to stay out of the activities and operations of the EC and Ghana�s electoral process. Reason It follows a report commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which among other things, states that �Having the voter register database outsourced, but housed within the EC, eventual difficulties in the management of the IT systems undermine the EC�s effectiveness. The EC does not have a developed IT policy. Lack of comprehensive IT policy presents the risk that the EC would not be able to properly safeguard its information or maintain its IT equipment. �The management of biometric database has been outsourced to STL who was expected to train and fully hand over the system to the IT department of the EC before the 2012 elections. STL has not respected this component of the contract as at this assessment in August 2015. The implication is that the EC will be unable to conduct biometric registration without STL. STL has not been transparent with the officials of the IT department to enable the latter to understand how the system functions, even though STL officials are based in the IT department of the EC.� It is for this reason LMVCA and its allies said, �Having a weak IT department, with no institutional guidelines to safeguard the integrity of the process, and outsourcing the control of our entire register database to a foreign company that is not itself transparent with the EC and at the same time controls billions of other public procurement contracts with government which are unrelated to its work with the EC, is potentially a major recipe for disaster.� They have therefore served notice. �We will not relent in our efforts to ensure that the Electoral Commission does what is right and provide us with a register which is for Ghanaians and by Ghanaians.� Justification The pressure groups believe that there are some two million �ghost� names in the existing register which was compiled ahead of the last (2012) general elections; for which reason they are pushing for an entirely new one because they believe that a mere audit could not make it credible for the 2016 general elections. That, according to David Asante, is because the same STL is likely to be used by the EC to do the auditing. The groups have therefore decided to picket at the head office of the EC tomorrow to drive home their campaign for a new voter register, even though the police say they would not allow them to picket at the place, which is located at Ridge in Accra. According to the police, the EC head office is a �security zone,� which the groups have disputed. Organizers of the event have said that there is no turning back on their decision to picket at the EC headquarters because they had already notified the police about the planned event. �We wish to tell all the groups and individuals who are joining us this Wednesday that the picketing is on as planned,� the statement, signed by Mr David Asante, pointed out, with a charge: �We are therefore calling on all well-meaning Ghanaians, patriots across all political parties, including those with no political affiliations, to join us to picket at the EC. Let us make them see that we mean to protect our democracy.� At a programme held over the weekend to whip up support for the campaign, National Organiser of the NPP, John Boadu, insisted, �A new voter register is the very foundation on which we can be assured of fair elections�The NPP is putting all resources and energy behind this action�. By 7am tomorrow, the groups are expected to gather at the popular Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and move to the premises of the EC to present their case.