The leadership of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other political parties are in the Tamale metropolis ahead of tomorrow’s demonstration against the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to compile a new voter’s register ahead of the 2020 general elections.
At a press briefing in Tamale on Friday, the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Peter Boamah Otokunor called on the public to join them in the protest to express their outrage on moves by the EC to compile a new register.
Mr. Peter Otokunor described the plan for a new electoral roll as a wasteful expedition.
In his speech, he also described the planned demonstration as a historic moment for the country as he called on all and sundry to be part of the demonstration.
“So for tomorrow, we are calling on all to join in this historic moment, to join in this demonstration to express our disquiet, our rage on the recalcitrance of the Electoral Commission, to speak to the rejection and resistance of this wasteful expedition of replacing our voter register.”
The Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, also accused the NPP of sponsoring some “fraudulent politicians” to join in supporting calls for the new register.
He argued that five of the named political parties backing the EC do not exist, adding that an additional five of the said political parties are rather on the side of the largest opposition party NDC in rejecting the new voters’ register.
“The NPP has sponsored some individual politicians and some fraudulent politicians and they held a press conference, announcing that some 13 political parties had come together to support the EC. It is a big lie, the parties they mentioned about five of them are not existing. Another five of them are here with us. An example of such a party is the PNC…The UPP General secretary is here and their party executives are here so how can the UPP be supporting the EC, that’s a palpable falsehood,” Otokunor said.
Background
The NDC is part of a group of opposition political parties known as the Inter-Party Resistance Against New Voter Register that has planned to stage three different demonstration exercises against the EC.
The group is made up of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the United Progressive Party (UPP), the All People’s Congress (APC) and the United Front Party (UFP).
GHS390m approved for new voter register
Parliament has approved about GHS390 million for the compilation of a new voters register which it believes will be more credible and efficient than the existing one.
The commission also says there is the need to replace outmoded biometric machines.
The Director of Elections at the EC, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe justified the plans saying there was a need to tackle verification challenges that occur on Election Day.
“We have made it very clear that the current biometric system is not good enough for future activities. We are having a lot of challenges with it. In addition to that, a lot of people have found it difficult to have their fingerprints picked up by the machine so we intend to introduce the facial recognition [option] in addition so that if your fingerprint fails, your image will be used for verification.”
Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, also clarified that the said amount is not only for the procurement of equipment but to among other things cater to the full cost of undertaking a fresh registration exercise.
