The Public Forum on the Voters’ Register has come to a fruitful end and we have all come to the conclusion that given the peculiar circumstances we do not need a new Voters Register for the 2020, General Elections.
But one of the key highlights of today’s Public Forum is the discovery that in the Electoral Commission’s budget for the Compilation of the proposed New Register, the E.C has budgeted GHC 28,195,150 for IPAC Meetings.
That is almost GHC30Million Cedis as per diem for IPAC Meetings. Recently when the issue of lack of consultation on the procurement of a new Biometric system came up, the Electoral Commissioner, Madam Jean Mensah in addressing the media categorically stated that the Commission was not bound by the decision of IPAC because IPAC is just an advisory body.
So now the fundamental question we want to ask the Electoral Commissioner madam Jean Mensah and the Electoral Commission Commission is… “Why budget over GHC28Million Cedis for IPAC Meetings if you are not bound by the decisions of IPAC?
Why budget almost GHC30Million Cedis for IPAC Meetings when you can just ignore its outcomes and recommendations and do whatever you so please because IPAC is not backed by law?
Secondly, when it came to decision making the E.C says IPAC is not really important and so we don’t really have to consult IPAC but when it came to budgeting the E.C suddenly recognises the existence of IPAC and quantumly allocates almost GHC30Million Cedis of tax payers resources to conduct IPAC Meetings, if this is not a smack of inconsistency then I don’t know what else is.
We certainly have a situation on our hands and as CSO’S we want to assure the good people of Ghana that we would certainly not rest until the right things are done to ensure that the people of Ghana who are major stakeholders in our Electoral process are not left out in taking the key decisions that would ultimately affect the conduct of the 2020 General Elections.
Goodnight Folks!
Mensah Thompson
Executive Director, ASEPA
0542120628