NIA clashes with EC over biometric registration

THE ELECTORAL Commission (EC) of Ghana has clashed with the National Identification Authority (NIA) over modalities for collecting data for registration, ahead of future elections. The NIA has urged the EC to collect their data and use it as a basis for the biometric registration for future elections.

The assertion made by the Executive Secretary of NIA, Dr. William Ahadzie, at a two day national conference organized by the Danquah Institute (DI), a political cum research think thank under the theme; “Biometric voter registration and E-voting in Ghana,“ was countered by officials from the EC who contended that the EC as an independent body cannot collect data from the NIA.

According to the Director of ICT of the EC, Mr. Hubert Akomea, by law, the EC has to generate its own voter register but not to rely on another body. The EC further contended at the forum, chaired by Prof. Ken Attafuah, former Executive Secretary of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) that it would be impossible to thread on that premises.

Mr. Hubert later told this paper that the EC was considering biometric registration for 2012 but was not looking at E-voting for now. “It is possible that we may organize the biometric registration for 2012, but for the E-voting, the chairman has spoken about it already. I am not here because of the E-voting, I am here for the biometric registration,” he explained.

He said, the law binds the EC to register Ghanaians of 18 years of age and above, and of sound mind while the NIA would register people even below six years of age. “It is not possible for us to collect the data from the NIA,” he stressed.

To him, his boss, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan, who had spearheaded elections in this nation for a number of occasions believe that until he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt, the e-voting system would not be considered for now.

According to him, the EC, which has a role in satisfying Ghanaians, would not want to satisfy the desire of any political party. He concedes that the data of the NIA can be looked at in future as reference points.

The Minister of Communications, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, for his part stated that the government was not against E-voting and suggested that currently the government do not have the necessary infrastructure to conduct the E-voting.

The Minority Leader of parliament, Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu believes that notwithstanding the challenges including the laws regulating the EC to compile their own registration, something could be done. He also argued that the EC can collect the data from the NIA for biometric registration.

Dr. Wiliam Ahadzie, however, after explaining the functions and the activities of the NIA indicated that the government has tasked both the NIA and EC to form technical committee to see how best they can share information and resources in the larger interest of the nation. Among those who made presentation at the fuction were; Nana Asante Bediatuo who spoke on Electoral Laws, Mr. Ben Ephson, Pollster and Election Analyst spoke on declaring a President from a bloated voter register, and an analysis of election results from 1992-2008 by Mr. Kofi Bentil of IMANI. The exercise attracted lot of NPP legislators and other stakeholders.