A senior legal practitioner and former President of the Ghana Bar Association, Sam Okudzeto has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to start the voters’ registration exercise in places outside the partial lockdown.
The Electoral Commission suspended its planned compilation of a new voters’ register over the ban on public gatherings imposed on Ghanaians as part of efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease that has bedevilled the country.
The exercise was initially scheduled for April 18, 2020, but no new date has been announced following the suspension.
The Greater Accra Metropolitan Area including Tema and Kasoa as well as the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area are currently under lockdown in a bid to check the spread of the disease.
The EC has said it wants to ensure that the voters’ register that will be used for the 2020 election is more credible and efficient than the existing one hence the need for a new Biometric Voter Management System (BVMS).
Sam Okudzeto, who is also a member of the Council of State, in an interview on Eyewitness News said the EC can compile the voters’ register in batches.
“Our cases of the Coronavirus is not as dramatic as it is in many countries which means that we only have few pockets in the two big municipalities and few of the smaller ones. So since the lockdown is not the whole of Ghana, the EC should start the registration in areas where there is no lockdown,” he said.
EC and the new voters’ registration
The Electoral Commission is supposed to organize the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7.
The Commission is seeking to replace its biometric machines to better address verification challenges that could occur during the elections.
A key new feature the EC cited is the introduction of a facial recognition option in addition to fingerprint verification.
It also plans to make the Ghana Card and passport the only acceptable identification for the upcoming voter registration, but the announcement was received with mixed reactions from Ghanaians.
Opposition to new register
The move for the new register has been met with opposition from key political stakeholders, including the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The opposition party called on Ghanaians to reject the EC’s plans because it felt the commission was yet to present a compelling argument for the compilation of a new register.
Over the course of deliberations, its officials even walked out of a meeting with the EC.
Source: Daily Graphic
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
Some people grow ***barred word*** as they age!! No wonder he’s the leader’s age group. They’re all gauging at dissipating the national coffers for a needless document independent observers find ridiculous!!
How on earth could this us3l3ss man be called a member of council of state? If these are the people we have at council the of state, then there is no wonder they recommended the removal of former EC boss, Shallot Osei. They are bunch of F00LLLS.
Waaa hw3 papa Panyin mu sei won sua.
I am so shocked to hear from such a statesman with rich legal background calling on the EC to start new voter registration exercise in certain areas. The real nation wreckers are beginning to raise their voices again; seeing defeat clearly written on the wall. He and his likes must be held responsible should any disturbances rock this country. We are closely monitoring them.
Listen to what his own countrymen are telling him; Ndc will be in opposition for years.
This my oldman is not thinking of Ghana, he is a wicked man, I know him, as a senior man in government you are planning with EC to rig elections. SHAME ON TO YOU THIS OLDMAN, 80 years with bad ideas with his 77 years President. Nyame ahu mo.
This man is suffering from senile dementia!! he has been sounding very irrelevant for a while now. sad
At times I cannot come to terms with the reason why some educated beings with their academic backgrounds, age and knowledge will still want to plunge this country into a state of anarchy. They have become so sadistic to the extent that they rejoice over seeing the country thrown into confusion. As the Prez Mills said; their evil agenda will never see the light of the day. Lawyer Sam Okudzeto knowing the controversies surrounding the re- opening of the new voters register and calling for it in this ungodly hour could be described as anarchists in disguise. God is watching.