Some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Ghana have announced plans to picket in three regional capitals this month with the aim of stopping the move by the Electoral Commission (EC) from compiling a new voters’ register ahead of the 2020 general elections.
The series of demonstrations is expected to begin from Tamale on Saturday, 11th January, then to Kumasi on Tuesday, 21st January. The third will be in Accra on Tuesday, 28th January.
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This arrangements were disclosed by the Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Bernard Monarch today at a forum to interrogate the need for a new voters’ register.
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He asserted that, the CSOs will continue to demonstrate in every part of the country until the government and the EC listens to their demands.
According to him, the plan to compile a new voters’ register as announced by the EC is “useless” considering the credibility of the existing voters’ register.
He also explained that the compilation of a new voters’ register will almost consume the entire election year calendar, leaving political parties little time to campaign.
“The [plan by the EC to compile a new voters register] will take a lot of time to register and check the authenticity of the system. Roughly it will be completed by September 2020. How much time will be left to campaign?
He alleged that the EC is plotting to “waste time to torpedo plans by opposition political parties to [properly] campaign ahead of the elections”
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He advised the EC to “synchronize data from old system onto a new system” instead of following a laborious process in compiling a new register, which is expensive and needless.
Also speaking at the event, ace journalist, Kwesi Pratt, urged all Ghanaians not to only demonstrate but use all channels possible to register their displeasure against the proposed new voters register.
He asserted that the issue of the voters’ register goes beyond political divide, hence should be assessed from non-partisan lines.
“This goes beyond political divide, therefore take position not because you are a member of the NPP, take position not because you are a member of the NDC. Take position not because you are member of the Eagle party…
Rather, take position whether it makes sense or it doesn’t make sense,” he stated.
Kwesi Pratt urged the audience to “use any means available to get public officials to do the right thing, or we punish them severely so that nobody repeats the arrogance”
Source: Jonas Danquah || ghananewsonline.com.gh
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