The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has called on key political stakeholders to forge broad consensus over a credible way forward for the compilation of the voter register, having regard to the exceptional circumstances brought upon the nation by the COVID-19 pandemic and the extremely compressed electoral calendar.
CODEO has thus urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to reconsider its decision to exclude the existing Voter ID card from the list of acceptable documents for registering onto the yet to be compiled new voters’ register.
CODEO pointed out that the use of the passport and Ghana card as the only legitimate documents for registration might present a “difficulty on the part of qualified citizens in exercising their right to register to vote.”
A statement signed by Albert Kofi Arhin, National Coordinator of CODEO, said the vast majority of prospective voters in Ghana’s December 2020 polls already possess a Voter Identity card issued by the Commission since 2012, adding, “CODEO believes it would be proper and appropriate for the EC to include the existing Voter ID card among the documents one could use to establish eligibility to register in the 2020 registration exercise.”
Aside the Ghana Card or passport being acceptable documents for registering onto the voters’ register, persons who have already been captured on the new voters’ register can guarantee for others to register.
But CODEO fears this system might be abused by some registered voters.
“CODEO recalls with consternation, the abuse of the guarantor system in previous registration exercises (as highlighted in its reports on previous registration exercises it observed) in which some registered voters turned themselves into ‘guarantee contractors’ vouching for the eligibility of all manner of persons who might be in fact unqualified to be registered.”
The group said is convinced that the Commission will foster a much more congenial atmosphere for electoral inclusion and peace ahead of the December polls if citizens who desire to register to vote are allowed to use their existing voter ID card to do so.
“Doing so will help reduce the number of qualified persons who would have to rely on the guarantor system, and thereby, help reduce the incidence of confrontation and tensions associated with the guarantor system.
CODEO also urges the EC to give prominence in its voter education programs to the sanctions applicable to persons caught abusing the guarantor system.”
It also urged all elections stakeholders, particularly political party leaders and supporters, to utilize legal and peaceful processes to seek redress to all grievances.
CODEO’s plea comes on the back of the greenlight Parliament has given the Electoral Commission to use the Ghana Card and Passports as the only forms of identification.
Legislators voted in a 102 to 96 decision in favour of the EC’s decision on Tuesday, June 9, 2020.
Source: DGN
