We are not above the law- EC sobers

The Electoral Commission says it is taking quick steps to obey a command by the Ghana's apex court to provide the list of voters who registered with the National Health Insurance Cards.

Deputy Commissioner Amadu Sulley told journalists at the sidelines of an election security meeting Friday, "the EC is not above the law" and will comply with the orders of the Supreme Court.

Already, the Commission has asked all regional heads to provide the information on the number of prospective voters who registered with the NHIS card.

The EC incurred the wrath of the judges when it failed to comply with the orders to delete names of all persons who registered with the NHIS card and reregister them with the appropriate identification cards.

On Thursday, five judges, chaired by the Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood in a sternest way possible said they will not sit down to allow the EC plunge the country into chaos.

The five had met to bring clarity on an earlier judgment they gave on a case brought before them by two applicants, one of whom is the PNC member Abu Ramadan.

The applicants had, among other reliefs requested the court to order a recompilation of the voter's register they claim was unwholesome for the November elections.

The judges did not order a recompilation of the register but stated emphatically that the register in its current form had problems, part of which was the inclusion of dead persons, minors and persons who registered with NHIS cards.

The judges therefore asked the EC to, as a matter of urgency, delete all persons who registered with the NHIS cards [because that was illegal] and offer them another opportunity to register using the right procedures and the right cards.

Shortly after the May 5 ruling however, the EC insisted it was cleaning the register of dead persons and minors but will not delete persons who registered with NHIS cards.

That created a controversy in the country with some lawyers, including Dr Raymond Atuguba stating the order was not for the EC to delete names of people who registered with NHIS cards. Not even an unusual comment by one of the judges, Justice Jones Dotse clarifying the position of the judges in the May 5 judgement would change the minds of the EC and persons who believe NHIS registrants must remain on the register.

Yesterday's emphatic statement by the Supreme Court appeared to have settled the matter and the EC says it has no choice but to comply.

Amadu Sulley told Joy News' Favour Nunoo the EC will do all it can to meet the June 29 deadline set by the judges for the EC to provide all the names of persons who registered with the NHIS cards.

He said they will also provide the court with the steps the EC is taking to clean the register before the 2016 elections.

"We are not above the law," he said adding, we will do our best to meet the deadline.

Amadu Sulley stated plans the EC has taken to ensure a quick voting process on the election day.

According to him, they have increased the number of polling stations from 26,000 to 29,000 with a new threshhold of 950 electorates per polling station.

"We are trying to reduce the number of people who will vote at one polling station," he added.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah