The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is calling on its agents and political actors across the country to remain vigilant during the Electoral Commission’s (EC) upcoming mop-up voter registration exercise. The exercise, scheduled from Thursday, August 1st to Saturday, August 3rd, aims to register eligible voters aged 18 and above who have not yet registered.
According to the EC, the registration will be conducted at District offices nationwide, as well as in 41 prison centers and 26 public universities. This three-day registration period comes amidst NDC’s concerns regarding the integrity of the current voters register, which the EC states includes 18,681,366 voters.
In a statement, the NDC described the current voters register as “not fit for purpose” and “sick,” urging their agents to be vigilant in ensuring the registration process is free from irregularities. The party highlighted several key reasons for this call to action.
Firstly, the NDC has raised serious concerns about the EC’s figures and is yet to receive a satisfactory response from the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meetings. Despite this, the EC is moving forward with the new registration exercise.
Secondly, the NDC pointed out that several Biometric Voter Registration laptops were stolen from the EC’s headquarters under CCTV surveillance. These stolen laptops, which remain unretrieved, are believed to be in the hands of criminals, posing a significant risk to the integrity of the voter registration process.
Furthermore, the NDC expressed fears of potential gerrymandering by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), suggesting that the mop-up exercise could be used to secure advantages that were not achieved during the voter transfer exercise. This concern is particularly acute in constituencies that were marginally won or lost.
The NDC emphasized the importance of vigilance in safeguarding Ghana’s democracy, ensuring a transparent and fair electoral process, and addressing the nation’s economic challenges and high unemployment rates.
The party also called on the Electoral Commission to take concrete steps to restore confidence in the electoral process. This includes conducting a transparent audit of the voters register and addressing the 35 questions posed by the NDC at the last IPAC meeting regarding the stolen biometric equipment.
Additionally, the NDC urged security agencies to act professionally and distance themselves from any unprofessional elements within the NPP that might attempt to disrupt the peace.
As Ghana prepares for its next general election, the NDC reiterated the need for free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections to attract both local and foreign direct investments. The party also emphasized the importance of a peaceful transition of power on January 7, 2025.
