2024 Polls: New Constitutional Instrument for Voters’ Registration needless – CEGA tells EC

 

The Centre for Ethical Governance and Administration (CEGA) has said that the New Constitution Instrument (CI) being considered for laying before Parliament for the purposes of registering new voters is total waste of money.

CEGA says the Electoral Commission of Ghana does not need a new C.I to carry out its operations effectively.

In a press statement CEGA noted among others that, the decision by the EC to use the Ghana card as a sole document for the registration of voters may prepare the grounds for denying millions of Ghanaians their rights to vote on election day, especially because many people have not registered for the card or are yet to receive their cards after registering for it.

“Parliament should not allow the passage of this new C.I for Ghana to engage in unnecessary and frivolous expenditure as the nation is in the mist of a huge economic catastrophe with no end in sight,” the statement noted.

There are 2.5 million cards belonging to some registered voters yet to be printed

“So in effects, there are 6 million registered voters who have not received their cards after registration several months ago,” the statement further noted.

It also revealed that, the cancellation of the guarantor system may blow a lot of dimensions in the registration process thus it will disenfranchise many potential voters” adding that, “there should be a pragmatic measures by the EC to use passports, relatives to vouch for individuals of voting age to register. .

Below is the Press Release…

THE CEGA BELIEVES THERE’S NO NEED FOR A NEW CONSTITUTIONAL INSTRUMENT FOR THE E.C TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY

The Center for Ethical Governance and Administration (CEGA) has observed with dismay that a Special Budget Committee chaired by Hon Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu submitted a report on a draft constitutional instrument titled Draft Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2022 for pre-laying on the floor of parliament on Thursday 23rd February, 2023.

As a follow-up, the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (E.C) Madam Jean Adukwei Mensa was on the floor of Parliament on 28th February, 2023 to further explain the proposed Constitutional Instrument. Through a careful analysis, her repeated claim that the E.C did not have any intention to use the Ghana card for registration could not be true.

The proposed new Constitutional Instrument (C.I) intends to among others;
Reopen the voters register for a Limited Registration for Ghanaian voters who turned 18 years since the 2022 general elections.

Make the E.C District offices the only centers for the Limited Registration.
Make the Ghana card (ECOWAS Identity Card) the only source document for all eligible voters, meaning any Ghanaian potential voter with a Ghanaian passport cannot be registered to vote in the next elections.

Cancel the Guarantor System for the purpose of proving one’s eligibility to be registered as a voter. This means that all 18 years old since November, 2020 cannot use any relative or guarantor to vouch for them to be registered if they don’t have the Ghana card.

Now the E.C alleges that the Guarantor System which is still in force under the National Identity Register, Act 2008 (Act 750) was abused during the 2020 registration. Unfortunately, the E.C has so far not been able to support this claim with any substantial evidence to undermine the integrity of the Voters Register.

The CEGA is of the opinion that the existing C.I 91 and C.I126 contain enough provisions to allow the E.C to organize the Limited Voters Registration of all Ghanaians who have turned 18 years since November, 2020 without any let or hindrance. The E.C does not need a new C.I to perform its functions effectively. There are disastrous consequences if this C.I should be allowed to pass. Millions of potential voters would be unfortunately disenfranchised, and that would be a serious breach of Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution.

Recently, Prof Kenneth Attafuah, the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), revealed that 17 million Ghanaians have been registered for the Ghana card as at 19th February, 2023. This figure is out of an estimated population of 33 million as at March 2023.

Prof Attafuah added that 3.5 million printed Ghana cards have been seized by a private printing company because of heavy indebtedness of the NIA to the said company to the tune of over 1 billion Ghana Cedis.

In addition, there are 2.5 million cards belonging to some registered voters yet to be printed.

So in effect, there are 6 million registered voters who have not yet received their Ghana cards after their registration several months ago. These are extremely bad and amazing revelations from the NIA that can’t be ignored. There could be many more millions of potential voters out there who are eagerly waiting for the chance to take part in the upcoming Limited Registration Exercise to get their names into the voters register but don’t have the Ghana card.

In view of this, the CEGA respectfully requests the Electoral Commission to consider withdrawing the draft proposal to allow all eligible potential voters to register with either the Ghana card, valid Ghanaian passport or have a guarantor to vouch for the potential voter.

Furthermore, the C.I 91 and C.I126 are still in force and should be made to apply to make all polling stations Designated Registration Centers. The proposed use of only the E.C offices for registration will bring untold hardship to millions of potential voters who are eager to register. But because of challenges in transportation to the E.C offices and other unforeseen circumstances, they will be discouraged from registering for the Ghana card.

In such a situation, only a few people will register since many will be frustrated over the process and give up. This will make the turnout for the next general elections very low and with such a low turnout the results may go in favour of the incumbent, but there should be a level ground for all parties contesting.

In addition, if this proposed C.I should pass, it could lead to a call by any member of the public for the rejection of the existing voters register through a suit at a Court of law with a claim that it contained names of foreigners and minors. And this could lead to an order by the court for the annulment of the existing register for a new one to be compiled. This is where millions of eligible Ghanaians without Ghana card will be unfortunately be disenfranchised.

Parliament should not allow the passage of this new C.I for Ghana to engage in unnecessary and frivolous expenditure as the nation is in the midst of a huge economic catastrophe with no end in sight.

Currently, several construction projects have been suspended in the country for lack of funding arising out of the bankrupt state of the economy and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stringent conditionality for a bailout.

The E.C had assured the nation on countless occasions that it had no intention of using the Ghana card as the only source of identification for registration to vote in the 2024 general elections.

So what has changed and why now? There appears to be a hidden agenda ready to be implemented through the successful passage of the proposed C.I.

In view of the possible denial of millions of Ghanaians the right to vote, the CEGA kindly requests the Parliament of the Republic to reject the proposed new Constitutional Instrument (C.I).
Furthermore, as a matter of urgency, the government should release adequate funds to support the operations of the National Identification Authority to enable all eligible voters who have registered but their cards are locked up in the warehouse of a printing company because of the NIA indebtedness , so that they can exercise their constitutional right in the 2024 general elections.

Signed
Prof. Ohene Adjei
Executive Director
0208124706

Mr. George Yankah Communications Director 0242161111

By Lawrence Odoom