Ghana’s main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticized the country’s Electoral Commission (EC) over the newly released certified voter register, citing missing data crucial for verifying its credibility.
Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, the NDC’s Director of Elections and IT, voiced the party’s concerns on social media following the distribution of the final voter register to political parties on Wednesday, 6 November. According to Dr. Boamah, the omission of key data points in the register compromises its transparency and restricts the party’s ability to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Dr. Boamah detailed specific data he said is essential for verifying the register’s accuracy, including National Voter Statistics, Regional and Constituency Voter Statistics, Absentee Voter Statistics, Gender Statistics, and Proxy Voter information. He argued that these elements are critical for assessing voter demographics and ensuring the list’s completeness ahead of the December election.
“The absence of these details makes it challenging for political parties to conduct thorough checks on the voter database,” he stated, adding that this situation could impact public trust in the EC’s commitment to a fair and credible election.
Dr. Boamah recalled the NDC’s previous calls for a forensic audit of the provisional register, which the EC had denied, and suggested that recent discrepancies have underscored the need for such an audit. “The relevance of the forensic audit is beginning to show,” he remarked, emphasizing the importance of transparency in safeguarding the electoral process.
He also noted that the NDC is awaiting an audit of the EC’s IT systems, which has yet to take place. “The competence, credibility, and transparency of the EC are central to the integrity of any electoral process,” he concluded, warning that these recent developments could cast doubt on the Commission’s ability to conduct an impartial election.
The EC has yet to respond to the NDC’s concerns.
Source:TheDotNews