Felix Ofosu Kwakye Lashes EC Over New Voters' Register

Felix Ofosu Kwakye

Former Deputy Minister for Communications, Felix Ofosu Kwakye, says there is no need for a new voters’ register.

He also cautions the Electoral Commission (EC) to be careful not to plunge the country into chaos over its decision to compile a new voters’ register.

Speaking to Kwaku Dawuro on Anopa Nkomo on Accra-based Kingdom FM 107.7, Felix Ofosu Kwakye stated, "the existing one could be audited and cleaned to enhance the integrity of the 2020 polls. The purposes of a new register not reasonable.”

He continued, “The voters’ register in 2012 and 2016 didn’t affect the results of the elections in any way so I don’t understand why they insist on producing a new voters’ register, it is not needed.”

The EC contends that the current register had been overstretched, and needed additional features of facial verification, hence the need for a new register.

However, the parties and other stakeholders have argued that the current register compiled in 2012, and strengthened with biometric verification in 2016, was an excellent voter roll which must not be discarded.

Parliament, however, approved last month for the EC to spend 833 million Ghana cedis (146.6 million US dollars) to compile the new register for the 2020 General Elections.

Felix Ofosu Kwakye says the reasons for compiling a new voters’ register are not tangible enough to incur more cost to the State.