The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has called on former President John Dramani Mahama to encourage the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to engage in discussions with the Commission to address discrepancies in the provisional voters register that the party claims to have identified.
During a press conference held in Accra on Thursday, 12th September 2024, Deputy Chairman of Operations at the EC, Mr. Samuel Tettey, made a direct appeal to the former President, emphasizing the need for dialogue to ensure the credibility and integrity of the 2024 Voters Register.
“The EC believes that the best way to ascertain the credibility and integrity of the 2024 Voters Register is at the discussion table, not on the streets. Taking to the streets will not ensure a credible register. It will only cause tensions and suspicions which are unwarranted,” Mr. Tettey stated.
He continued, “We call on the former President, His Excellency John Mahama, an eminent and respected statesman of the Republic, to encourage and bring his party to the table as that is the best place to address issues and ascertain the truth regarding the Voters Register.”
Mr. Tettey expressed confidence that former President Mahama would heed the EC’s call and take the necessary steps to facilitate dialogue between the NDC and the Commission. He assured the NDC of a transparent process that would address their concerns. “We are confident that the former President will do everything in his power to bring his party to the discussion table. On our part, we assure the NDC of a transparent process that would demonstrate to them that all their concerns have been resolved,” he added.
The EC’s appeal to President Mahama follows the NDC’s failure to provide the Commission with evidence of the discrepancies they claim to have identified in the Provisional Voters Register during the Exhibition Exercise. According to the EC, despite the NDC’s promise to share the evidence after their meeting on Friday, 6th September 2024, multiple attempts by the Commission to obtain copies of the discrepancies from the NDC have been unsuccessful.
The EC noted that the NDC presented five issues or discrepancies during the 6th September meeting. Following the meeting, the NDC publicly stated that the EC had rejected their call for a forensic audit into the voters register, prompting the party to announce a nationwide demonstration scheduled for 17th September 2024.
Speaking at the press conference, Mr. Tettey said, “The EC requested a copy of the discrepancies identified by the NDC at the meeting. This was not given to the Commission. Unfortunately, several calls and requests to the NDC to obtain a copy of the discrepancies have yielded no results.”
The EC also dismissed allegations made by the NDC that the Commission had added 50,000 ghost names to the register. Addressing this issue, Mr. Tettey explained that the presence of deceased persons on the register is inevitable, as many people pass away each year. He emphasized that one of the key objectives of the Exhibition Exercise is to allow relatives of the deceased to initiate the removal of their names from the register.
“We have also noted comments from the NDC alluding to ghost names in the register. We are aware that there may be dead persons on the register because several persons die each year. One of the key purposes of the Exhibition Exercise is to allow relatives of the dead to initiate the process of expunging their names from the Register,” he said.
Mr. Tettey added, “The NDC indicated at the meeting that it had identified some 50,000 persons who were dead on the Register. The Commission once again requested the details of the 50,000 dead persons and assured the NDC that it would work with the District Assembly and Birth and Death Registry to expunge the names from the Register. As with the data on the discrepancies identified by the NDC, we are yet to receive the list of the dead.”
The Electoral Commission reiterated its commitment to delivering a credible and accurate voters register for the upcoming 2024 General Elections. The Commission assured the public and all political parties that it is dedicated to ensuring a free, fair, and transparent election process.
“The Commission is fully committed to providing the country and all Political Parties with a robust and credible Voters Register that will guarantee free, fair, transparent and credible General Election in December 2024,” Mr. Tettey concluded.
The EC’s call for dialogue comes amid rising tensions between the Commission and the NDC over the alleged discrepancies in the voters register. While the NDC has announced plans for a nationwide demonstration, the EC remains hopeful that constructive dialogue will prevail and that the concerns raised will be resolved in a manner that fosters trust and confidence in the electoral process.
As the election approaches, the EC continues to urge all political stakeholders to prioritize dialogue and cooperation to ensure a peaceful and credible electoral process. The Commission remains committed to engaging with all parties to address any issues and uphold the integrity of the electoral system in Ghana.
