Rebuttal Of The Ec Chair's Statement

Charlotte Osei

I read a piece from the EC Chair titled, “Compiling a new register can be opening up 30, 000 conflict zones.” This article was originally published in Myjoyonline on Friday, October 30, 2015. I would not have bothered to respond to this article if I did not read something that smells like an insult to all Ghanaian voters. This is the line that caught my attention. “Do Ghanaians want a credible register?” I could not believe it in my eyes and mind when I read that phrase in the piece. Initially, I thought I did not read it right. Therefore, I read it again.

First, her rhetorical question is offensive and an insult to the Ghanaian voter. Second, the EC Chairwoman’s question presupposes that Ghana does not deserve a credible voters’ register. Third, she insults the intelligence of Ghanaian voters. She owes a sincere apology to Ghana.

I would like the EC Chairwoman to define the term, “credible.” Does she understand the word “credible”? Oxford Dictionary Thesaurus & Wordpower Guide, defines ‘credible’ (adjective) as “believable.” The synonym of ‘credible’ includes “plausible, convincing, likely, and conceivable.”

So in effect, the EC Chairwoman is conveying it without stating directly that instead, Ghanaian voters deserve incredible register. If the register is not credible then, why do you bother to have one? Why should voters waste their time, money, and energy to defy the rain, rough roads, and sometimes risk to themselves to travel or walk to polling stations to vote? This is why I recommend that some amendments should be made in Ghana’s Constitution. The right and authority to choose the EC Chairman or Chairwoman should not be the prerogative of the sitting President only. A select committee from either the Supreme Court Justices, or the Chairman/Chairwoman of the Political Parties should be charged to make that choice. The EC Chairwoman’s piece reveals that there is a hidden motive that lurks behind her insistence not to acquiesce to the clarion calls from many people including, both ex-presidents Rawlings and Kuffour to open new voters’ register. This I can postulate that the old register is bloated with the names of unqualified registered voters and those that are already dead (ghost names). All I call for is transparency, honesty, and integrity. Therefore, discard the old register and open a new one for the sake of democracy and peace in Ghana.

Kennedy Ahenkora Adarkwa, Ph.D.