Solidaire Ghana, a pro-democracy advocacy group, has condemned the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana for its handling of the 2024 voter register.
The group accuses the EC of showing belligerence and disregarding calls for transparency, following revelations of errors in the provisional register.
The controversy began when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) raised concerns over discrepancies in the voter register, a claim initially denied by the EC.
In a statement on August 29, 2024, the EC assured the public that the register was “robust and credible” and dismissed assertions to the contrary. However, just days later, the EC admitted to mistakes in the register on September 2, following pressure from the NDC.
According to the group, despite this admission, the EC has refused calls for a forensic audit of the register, a stance that Solidaire Ghana describes as irrational and troubling.
In a press release, Solidaire Ghana expressed shock at the EC’s unwillingness to allow stakeholders to review the voter register, calling the Commission’s position “baffling” and lacking logic.
The advocacy group pointed to the views of prominent legal and political figures in Ghana, including Professor Kofi Abotsi, Dean of the UPSA Law School, and Franklin Cudjoe of Imani Africa, who both criticized the EC’s refusal to conduct an independent audit of the register.
The advocacy group has called for the immediate revocation of visas granted to EC staff by the U.S. Embassy, the British High Commission, and the European Union, arguing that this would send a clear message that the peace and stability of Ghana should not be jeopardized by the EC’s actions.
“We at Solidaire Ghana, join the millions of Ghanaians to demand that the right thing be done by the EC as early as possible.
“The decision of the EC to risk the peace and stability of this country must not be countenanced. We call on all peoples desirous of enhancing our democratic process to do so in accordance with law.”
AM/KA
