The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) is pleading on all stakeholders to collaborate with the Electoral Commission (EC) to come to a consensus on issues surrounding the compilation of a new voters’ register ahead of the 2020 general elections.
“We urge all stakeholders to work together with the EC in order to end the stalemate over the register for the December 2020 elections,” the Institute said in a statement.
In the statement signed by its Head of Advocacy and Institutional Relations, Kwesi Jonah, IDEG expressed dissatisfaction with the current impasse over the processes leading to the general elections.
Parts of IDEG’s statement read, “The inter-party conflict over the ideal register for the December 2020 elections has intensified the political polarization of the nation and driving it towards potential electoral violence and constitutional crisis.”
According to IDEG, “if this trend continues, it could cause the breakdown of the multi-party democracy in the Fourth Republic.”
IDEG is, therefore, pleading with the political parties to “present alternative proposals to the EC on the basis of which the stalemate over the compilation of the new register for the December 2020 elections will be amicably and expeditiously resolved.”
IDEG is also urging the EC to come out with clear plans as to how the elections will be held “fully within the COVID-19 context, with or without the prevailing restrictions”.
Read the full statement below:
Disagreements on new electoral roll
The Electoral Commission’s decision to compile a new voters’ register has been met with mixed reactions from the political front.
Whereas the NDC and some opposition parties are against the decision, the New Patriotic Party and 12 other political parties have backed the move.
Despite the opposition, the EC was scheduled to embark on the exercise in April 2020, but it called it off following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country.
The EC subsequently said it will adopt safety measures if the time comes for the registration exercise to commence.
It has also slated the registration exercise for ending of June 2020.