Use legitimate means to seek redress on Biometric Voter Registration

The Greater Accra Regional Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (GARIPDC) on Friday called on political parties to use legitimate means to challenge any doubt about the eligibility of potential electorates during the Biometric Voter Registration exercise scheduled from Saturday, March 24th to Saturday May 4th.

“Only the specially designed challenge form by the Electoral Commission should be used to challenge the registration of a potential electorate, we must all follow the procedure to avoid creating confusion which may increase the political temperature of the country.

“We must all follow due process during the process, if you are in doubt about the qualification of a potential electorates, inform the Registration Officer and be prepared to fill the challenge form,” Mrs Joyce B. Afutu, NCCE Greater Accra Regional Director and Convenor of GARIPDC told the Ghana News Agency after its first meeting in Accra.

She noted that it’s an offense to engage in multiple registrations, impersonation, attempting to use fraudulent means to register or deceiving Registration Officials in an attempt to register.

GARIPDC urged political parties to engage agents with Information Communication Technology background who were also equipped with the necessary knowledge on BVR procedure to ensure vigilance at the polling station.

The Committee also appealed to the Political Parties, their Agents and other democratic stakeholders as well as civil society not to rush to generalize any infractions they might encounter at a polling station during the procedure.

The Committee noted that; “It’s important for all to recognize the procedure, movement of registration team within the cluster and also requirement for registration to avoid unnecessary argument and challenges, which may slow down the process”.

The Committee also tasked the media especially the electronic media to cross check information they received from the public before going on air. “It has been observed that some people deliberately abuse the electronic media during such national exercises just to create confusion. We must avoid it”.

The Rev Anthony Mensah, Representative of the Christian Council of Ghana, Chair’s the Regional Committee, whilst Alhaji Awaiso Bio, a representative from the Office of the National Chief Imam serves as the Vice-Chairman.

Other members of the Committee include representative from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ghana Journalists Association, Regional House of Chiefs, the Ghana Police Service, NCCE, Electoral Commission, National Youth Authority, Abantu for Development, and Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council.

The rest include representatives from the National Democratic Congress, the New Patriotic Party, Convention People's Party, People's National Convention, the United Renaissance Party and the Great Consolidated Popular Party.

The Committee’s mandate is to serve as a buffer zone in the constituencies to stem the tide of unnecessary suspicions and anxiety among political parties, to enhance the political, economic and social progress, as well as the general stability of the country.

The Committee will therefore focus attention on mediation and resolution of petty conflicts, monitor the enforcement of the Code of Conduct of Political parties, promote peace and tolerance and identify issues that had the potential to trigger electoral conflicts.

It will also help deepen collaboration between the NCCE, Electoral Commission, Political Parties, Civil Society Organizations, Institute of Economic Affairs, Traditional authorities, media and opinion leaders in the promotion of non-violence, free and fair elections.**