Jean Menssa, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission
The Inter-Party Resistance Against the New Voters’ Register (IPRAN), a group of opposition political parties led by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has expressed their disaffection for a statement released by the Electoral Commission (EC).
The EC, following an IPAC meeting held on Thursday, announced that “majority of the members of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) agreed on the need for a new Voter Management Solution.”
The meeting, held at the behest of the eminent persons, formed part of ongoing discussions on the justification for the EC to acquire a New Voter Management System to compile a new voters’ register for the 2020 general election.
Some IPAC members, the release disclosed, wanted the EC “to put in place adequate safeguard measures to ensure data security and integrity.”
Disagreement
However, IPRAN have challenged the content of the release. In a statement signed by Bernard Mornah, Chairman of the people’s National Convention (PNC) on behalf of the group, it expressed disappointment in the conduct of the EC. The group said the action of the EC is tantamount to gross disdain and disregard for the ECs own Eminent Advisory Committee (EAC) and all stakeholders involved in the deliberations. They disclosed that a communiqué which was to be released by the EAC was agreed on at the meeting and have since called on the EAC to release the said communiqué.
“We therefore in the interest of transparency and fairness demand the EAC to release the agreed communiqué read and approved by the parties involved in the dialogue and take steps to proceed with the content as agreed,” said the statement.
They have also expressed disappointment in the decision of the EC to make announcement for the recruitment of electoral officers for the compilation of a new register.
Meeting end in a stalemate
Meanwhile, the meeting which was to build consensus between the commission and the political parties on the compilation of a new voters register ended in a stalemate.
The meeting, which was expected to last two hours, dragged for six hours, with the various interest groups and political parties holding on to their entrenched positions.
The EC maintained its resolve to compile a new voters register, with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and some political parties strongly backing that move while IPRAN held on to its resistance against a new biometric register.
Blows
It is reported that the Founder of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Kofi Akpaloo, who supports a new register, and the General Secretary of the All People’s Congress (APC), Mordechai Thiombiano Lompo, whose party is opposed to the register, allegedly traded blows at the meeting. This forced the EAC to call in a police detachment to restore order.
Demonstration
Meanwhile, the IPRAN has given indication that it will continue with its demonstrations. Mr. Mornah in the IPRAN statement said “In view of the foregoing the Resistance wishes to announce the escalation of our public manifestations and further declare The Y3npini March to the EC on Tuesday 4th February, 2020.”
“We shall converge at Kawukudi Park, Accra and March through Kanda to the EC and to the Liberation Circle (Children’s Park),” it added.
