The Director of elections for the New Patriotic Party, Evans Nimako has defended the Electoral Commission’s decision to make the voters’ register public.
The Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa, on Tuesday, November 24, 2020, justified the decision to make the electoral roll public.
She insisted that the Commission’s actions are backed by the law.
“Our systems are very secure and for the register that was put out, we are enjoined by law to publish the voters’ register,” Mrs. Mensa stated.
Some Ghanaians have raised security concerns over the publication.
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Dr. Nimako stated that he did not have an issue with the EC deciding to make the voters’ register public.
“There is no problem with the EC publishing the names of voters. The EC was supposed to give these details to all political parties and anybody they deem fit in any form they decide and it is supported by the C.I. 91, Regulation 27(3) which allows the EC to give copies out.”
He added that despite people’s opinion on the publication of the voters’ register, it is just a way of making the election process transparent and fair.
“The name referencing list is just to indicate your name, your polling station, where you will be on the main register and as such does not abuse any law. This has been part of the processes to ensure a transparent election, as are done in other countries like Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, President of Policy think tank, IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for making the electoral roll public.
Franklin Cudjoe argued that the EC’s action could create room for manipulation of voters’ personal details.
“You compromise the data of a lot of people. It is not a sensible thing to do. Anybody having this data can easily manipulate it. It is amateurish,” he said.
