The Electoral Commission Of Ghana Should Drop The Proposal Sent To Parliament

Author: Francis Pious Egoeh

Good morning lovely people of Ghana.

Our attention has been drawn to a proposal sent to parliament on Monday by the Electoral Commission to amend the constitutional instrument 91 of regulation 1. Regulation 1 talks about documents to be used as a form of identification as a Ghanaian before registration.

As I write now,the instrument is presently under contemplation with the subsidiary legislation Committee, chaired by a former Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Ayine which is expected to mature in 21 days. What the 21 days maturity mean is that, if government approves the amendment it will mean that other forms of identification such as the existing voter's ID, Birth Certificate and other national documents cannot be used in registering for the new voter ID.

The new documents the EC want is traveling passport, the Ghana Card, among others.

Now, I am going to give you reasons why I am vehemently against this move by the electoral Commission chaired by Madam Jean Adukwei Mensah.

One, how many Ghanaians are currently having the new documents the EC is proposing thus, the traveling passport and the Ghana Card. In my village where I come from in Central Tongu district of Volta Region, I can tell you boldly that, even most of them do not have the Birth Certificate which, ideally we should all have. And I know the situation is not different in other parts of the country. So one may ask, is that the reason why the National Identification Authority is still going on with the Ghana Card registration in Eastern Region of Ghana upon the President directives? Then there is something suspicious. We should not forget that, the Birth Certificate has been the basic requirement for both the traveling passport and the Ghana Card. So why all these?

Two, we wasted a lot resources in registering people last year for the voter ID card across the country prior our District level Assembly Election. If the EC is having the money, why is it that, those who worked during the District Assembly Election and Unit Committee as officials have not been paid. More than four months now.

And per the new idealogy of the EC, all voter's ID from 2012 to date will be rendered invalid. Then why the voter's ID card registration last year? Does it mean the EC is not proactive in making better decisions for the country?

Lastly, if the EC is having the resources (money), then this money should be given out to secure the needed resources for the fight against this Coronavirus-19. The minister of financial Hon. Ken Ofori Atta said yesterday(Tuesday) in parliament that, plans are far advanced to fall on the World Bank and IMF for financial assistance to fight the Coronavirus-19.

It will interest you to know that, the $100m put aside for the fight against the Coronavirus-19 is "audiomoney".

In summary, I would like to tell the Chairperson of EC, Madam Jean Adukwei Mensah that, our health first before any other thing. Please and please, Ghana is not going anywhere soon.

Madam Jean Adukwei Mensah, per the letter from your office circulating since yesterday about the new voter's ID registration, please let's tackle this Coronavirus-19 issue first then we can know what to do next. Do not put people's lives in risk all because of you trying to fulfill your constitutional mandate.

Please the Parliament of Ghana should drop this new proposal, because is not going to be in the interest of the majority of Ghanaians.

Long live EC Ghana!

Long live the Parliament of Ghana!!

Long Ghana!!!

Credit: Francis Pious Egoeh

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