New Register: Abu Ramadan Joins EC To Fight NDC

A Deputy National Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Abu Ramadan, has rubbished the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) claim that the voter ID card should be used as evidence of proof as a citizen of Ghana to register under the current Constitutional Instrument (C.I. 126) of the Electoral Commission (E.C.) for the preparation of a new voters' register.

According to him, the Supreme Court has already outlawed the use of the old voter ID cards acquired under EC's C.I. 72 for the preparation of the current voters' register.

He said he and one Evans Nimako sought reliefs at the court in 2014 on the use of the National Health Insurance Card (NHIS) and the 'old' voter ID card as a proof of qualification to register as voter pursuant to the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations 2012 2012 (C.I. 72) which the court considered unconstitutional, void and of no effect.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Accra to ask the EC to ignore the opposition NDC, Abu Ramadan said apart from the perpetual injunction restraining the EC from using the NHIs card as a proof of qualification to be registered as a voter, the Supreme Court also restrained the EC from accepting the 'old' voters' ID card as a proof of qualification to be registered as a voter in preparation of any future voters' register.

“To us, the EC is perfectly correct in excluding the use of the existing voter ID cards as a proof of qualification to register in the upcoming voter registration exercise,” he said, stressing that the EC must be fully aware that the Supreme Court has outlawed the use of the voters ID card acquired under C.I. 72.

“Even if the EC decides to accommodate the use of voters ID card, as a proof of qualification, it is a fact that it has forever been barred by the Supreme Court from using a voter ID card from 2012 to date,” he said.

Abu Ramadan applauded the EC on its decision to compile a new register by the end of next month for the December general election and urged the EC not to pander to the whims and caprices of any individual or interested group but to ensure that there is free and fair general elections in the December 2020 general elections.

—Daily Guide