Care for Free and Fair Elections Ghana (“CARE” GHANA) has commended H.E. President Akufo Addo for urging the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure a credible electoral process and have respect for the will of the people.
The group has however stated that the president’s inability to condemn EC’s affinity for disenfranchising eligible voters makes for sad reading.
“The attempt by the EC to lay in parliament Elections Regulation of Voters, Regulations 2021 seeks to eliminate all other sources of identification apart from the Ghana card. This will disenfranchise a substantial number of eligible voters,” the group has stated.
This was contained in a statement signed by David Kumi Addo Executive Director (“Care” Ghana). It was titled “CARE” GHANA COMMENDS PRESIDENT AKUFO ADDO FOR URGING EC TO ENSURE INCLUSIVENESS IN GHANA’S POLITICAL PROCESS BUT DOUBTS IT GENUINENESS”.
According to “Care” Ghana, a similar decision by the EC occurred in 2020.
“The decision to compile a new voter’s register against the wish of citizens met stiff opposition. This sparked agitations and demonstrations that nearly disrupted Ghana’s stability. The president’s inability to call the attention of the EC to the fact that, the powers conferred on the Commission by Article 45 of the 1992 Constitution are not a Carte Blanche to act capriciously. A law should not purport to curtail the fundamental right of citizens to vote in elections.
“The inability of the EC to rescind unpopular decisions is viewed with suspicion and construed as a lack of respect. The decision to prevent the people of Santrocofi, Akpafu Likpe, and Lolobi (SALL) from voting in the 2020 parliamentary elections left them with no representation in parliament. The military invasion and the prevention of the movement of some citizens from one community to another in the Brong region to register during the 2020 registration exercise was a result of the EC’s decision not to create registration centers close to the people to enable them to register and subsequently cast their vote.
“Turning IPAC into a forum for information dissemination is worrying. IPAC was created as a platform for dialogue and consensus building to ensure harmony between the EC and stakeholders in Ghana’s political spectrum. Today, IPAC has become an avenue for information distribution. The president’s inability to rebuke conduct of the EC that infringes on the Constitutional right of citizens is disturbing. “This comes to question the genuineness of the president’s call on the EC to ensure the inclusiveness of all stakeholders in the electoral process to avoid questioning the integrity of Ghana’s elections,” the group concluded.
