Voters’ register will be clean, credible before polls – EC

• Posted on May 9, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Electoral Commission has given the assurance that the electoral roll will be clean and credible before the November 7 Presidential and parliamentary elections.

“…Further, the commission believes that the credibility of elections depends on clean voters register. Therefore all steps will be taken in line with existing law to ensure that the final register is clean and credible before the general elections on November 7,” portions of a statement issued by the EC stated.

The assurance comes on the back of a Supreme Court ruling ordering the commission to immediately clean up the register.

Below are details of the statement issued by the EC

The commission has taken note of the court orders regarding the cleaning of the existing biometric voters register. We wish to assure the general public that prior to the ruling by the Supreme Court, the commission had discussed the roadmap for cleaning the register with the political parties at the Inter-party advisory committee meeting held on Friday March 18,2016.

At that meeting, it was agreed as follows and subject to the then pending Supreme Court ruling.

1. That the audit process as outlined by the commission was inclusive, transparent and within the remit of the law.

2. That the audit of the biometric voters register will take place during the scheduled exhibition period after the limited voter registration exercise

3. That the audit will involve removal of deceased registered voters, removal of multiple registration (with the help of the AFIS software), removal of alleged minors and non-Ghanaians based on the production of evidence

4. That in accordance with the provision of CI 91, registered will be given the opportunity to verify their registration details at all polling centers nationwide.

5. That the commission will use the biometric verification devices during the exhibition period for verification of registered voters.

However in the light of the recent Supreme Court ruling, the commission is studying the judgment and its implications on the audit mechanisms outlined above and the implications for registered voters who registered with national health insurance cards. The commission will make its views on the matter in due course.

The commission reiterates its respect for the apex court and its commitment to continue to abide with the laws of Ghana and the ruling of the Supreme Court.

Further, the commission believes that the credibility of elections depends on clean voters register. Therefore all steps will be taken in line with existing law to ensure that the final register is clean and credible before the general elections on November 7.