Very dependable information reaching The aL-hAJJ indicates that the Charlotte Osei-led Electoral Commission, ahead of the 2016 crucial elections, has lined-up far reaching electoral reforms that would clear all doubts in the minds of all political parties and indeed, every Ghanaian, to continue to repose confidence in Ghana’s electoral system.
This is contrary to fears being expressed by some political stakeholders and Ghanaians on the present entrenched positions taken by the two dominant political parties and their surrogate pressure groups on the debate over the current voters’ register going into elections next year, they say, could destabilize the country.
Sources at the EC disclosed to The aL-hAJJ that aside the ongoing consultations and discussions with the various political parties, civil society groups and religious organizations on the voters register, “there are other major reforms the EC will implement before campaign for the 2016 elections kick starts.”
“We have carefully scrutinized recommendations made by that Supreme Court during the novel Election petition hearing and we are taking those that are feasible and in sync with our own programs on board… So in spite of the fears and misgivings by some people that the heat being generated by some political actors ahead of the 2016 polls could push the country to the cliff…, I can assure Ghanaians that, the EC is fired up and would implement all necessary reforms for the next year’s election,” the source noted.
What the source could not confirm was whether the EC will yield to the opposition New Patriotic Party’s demands to compile a new voter register or go along with CODEO, the ruling National Democratic Congress and other political party’s recommendation to clean the present register.
“I think what all the political parties and civil society groups are advocating for is a credible register for the 2016 elections…so far as we (EC) are concerned, we will do all we can to put in place a credible register that will be acceptable by all,” the source intimated.
The aL-hAJJ has also gathered that among some of the improvements the EC intends to implement include, a definitive definition of over-voting, duplicate serial numbers, unknown polling stations, duplicate polling station code, voting without biometric verification and absence of presiding officer’s signature on pink sheet, among others.
“The Supreme Court has ruled on some on these issues but there is the need for the EC to clarify it in order to clear any doubts surrounding it. We don’t want to create opportunity for anybody to reject the results…our aim is to conduct one of the freest, fairer and transparent election in the history of the country in 2016,” a senior official of the EC who pleaded anonymity noted.
Discussion on the present voters register has in recent times gained media attention following claims by the NPP that it has “incontrovertible” evidence that the register is incurably flawed.
While some parties, such as NPP and PPP are calling for the compilation of a new voters’ register over claims that the current register is bloated with names of minors and foreigners, other political parties, including the NDC are against the compilation of a new one.
The EC has since received about 30 proposals and submissions from political parties, civil society organizations, religious bodies and IT companies after it requested the public to submit proposals on the voters’ register.
The chairperson of the EC, Mrs Charlotte Osei, who has been highly commended for his handling of the brouhaha over the voters register so far, has stated at an IPAC meeting that the commission has engaged the services of information technology (IT) experts for guidance in its efforts to resolve issues concerning the voters register.
Mrs Charlotte Osei, who was addressing journalists after an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting in Accra recently, disclosed that the Commission will meet all registered political parties and stakeholders to dialogue and reach consensus on the voters register by the end of October, this year.
She said all the political parties and other stakeholders would be given the opportunity to make presentations on their proposals on the register.
She said the EC expects the forum would not be partisan, but rather an avenue for all the political parties and stakeholders to present their case.
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