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The High Court in Accra presided by His Lordship Justice Anthony K. Yeboah on Monday ordered the Electoral Commission (EC) to implement the Representation of the People Amendment Act (ROPAA).

The court has given the EC 12 months to ensure the implementation of the law. ROPAA is to empower eligible Ghanaians abroad to vote in national elections but successive governments have failed to implement it since its passage in 2006.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Anthony Yeboah directed the EC to begin arrangements towards implementation of the law and further asked the Commission to cause Parliament to approve funding for the project.

Addressing the issue on Peace FM's Kokrokoo, Seasoned journalist Kwesi Pratt noted some initial difficulties he forsees in the implementation of the ROPAA.

According to him, the Act is fraught with several challenges that need to be noted down; some of which would almost render the project impracticable.

He raised concerns about the effective policing of the country's electoral laws in foreign countries where Ghanaian nationals are dwelling.

He asked how possible the laws of Ghana could become applicable in countries in Europe and others if Ghanaians in the diaspora are to participate in national elections.

“Whether or not Ghanaian laws are applicable in Washington, what can the EC do about it? Will EC make legislation in Washington so that Ghanaian laws will become applicable in Washington?" he questioned.

He also cited an instance where elections in Ghana have recorded several electoral malpractices and wondered if the EC could effect arrests or roll out punitive measures to any person or group of persons who engage in electoral malfeasance abroad should ROPAA be implemented.

“How do you arrest him? How do you punish him? How do you ensure the sanctity of the elections in those places in terms of the application of the law?”

Mr. Pratt also questioned the ability of the EC to ensure that every Ghanaian abroad is able to vote in the national elections.

He added it is very significant that the EC ensures the concept of universal suffrage which gives right to every eligible voter to cast his or her vote without any electoral barriers saying “rights are not unfettered. Rights are not unlimited and so on. We should take a critical look at it and do it well for Ghana to progress”.

To Mr. Pratt, it is only when the EC is able to address the challenges highlighted above that the ROPAA can be effective.

But NPP Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku, Dr. Okoe Boye disagrees with Mr. Pratt because to him, the challenges can be addressed as the EC rolls out ROPAA.

His belief is that until the EC implements the law, what particular challenges have to be addressed and the right of Ghanaians abroad to vote will continually be infringed upon.

Also speaking on Kokrokoo, Dr. Okoe Boye stated emphatically that "those who oppose an innovation today can be practitioners tomorrow. It is only a matter of time…I see 4 years - 8 years’ time when you tell someone that at a point in time we made arguments about voting outside, the person will not believe you because it would have in practice; so smooth, so effective”.