NDC, Stakeholders insist on Forensic Audit of Voter Register

In a bid to protect the integrity of Ghana’s 2024 general elections, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is insisting on a forensic audit of the voter’s register.

In collaboration with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), labour unions, and religious groups, they have issued a press release calling for urgent reforms.

The coalition outlined eight key resolutions to ensure the electoral process is transparent, free, and fair.

The NDC stressed the need for an independent forensic audit of the Provisional Voter’s Register (PVR) and the IT systems used in voter registration.

“We call for an immediate independent forensic audit of the 2024 Provisional Voter’s Register and the IT systems used for voter registration, data transfers, and backend processes,” the party stated.

This comes after the EC in response to the NDC’s petition rejected calls for a forensic audit of the register.

The EC maintains that the legal and administrative processes established to clean the register have not been fully exhausted, and thus a forensic audit is not justified at this stage.

But the coalition says to ensure accountability and transparency, a creation of a joint task force made up of representatives from the Electoral Commission, political parties, CSOs, and independent experts be formed.

They insisted that the results of the forensic audit be made public, saying, “The transparency of this process is vital to restoring public confidence in the electoral process.”

The coalition further called on the EC to take immediate corrective action to resolve any discrepancies identified by the audit. This includes restoring deleted voter entries and correcting unauthorized transfers.

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED ON THE NEED FOR A FORENSIC AUDIT OF THE 2024 PROVISIONAL VOTERS REGISTER AND IT SYSTEM

As part of the reforms, the NDC recommended a re-exhibition of the voters’ register for at least five days to allow registered voters to verify their details. They urged the EC to launch a public awareness campaign to encourage maximum participation.

The communique further indicated that the EC has to review the electoral timeline, if necessary, to accommodate these critical processes, noting that “adjusting the timeline will ensure that all necessary corrections are made, contributing to the credibility and fairness of the 2024 elections.”

The group also called on international observers to monitor the forensic audit process and other election-related activities, ensuring adherence to international standards.

In the long term, the NDC proposed the institutionalization of regular audits of the voter’s register and IT systems, urging continuous dialogue between the EC, political parties, and CSOs to maintain transparency and accountability in future elections.

Source: Theprimenewsonline