New voters' register: What has changed? - Kwamena Duncan quizzes Mahama

Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan has questioned why former President John Mahama changed his stand regarding the non-interference in the work of the Electoral Commission.

The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is quoted to have asked political parties to give the Electoral Commission (EC) the peace to do its work.

He asked those having issues to use the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) for redress.

In 2015, then President Mahama waded into the controversy surrounding the call for a new voters' register, saying the Electoral Commission is at liberty to decide what is best for the country inched close to the 2016 election.

This was after pro-opposition pressure group, Let My Vote Count Alliance and the main opposition NPP vehemently called for a new register ahead of the elections, with the NPP petitioning UK parliamentarians over the matter.

"I have no right to interfere in that electoral list."

"....We have an independent Electoral Commission and the Electoral Commissioners have security of office. I am not supposed to interfere in the work of the electoral commission. Ghana has an EC that is independent and does not consult the president to do anything."

"What we have done in the past when you have a young register is to clean it up…so it is for the Electoral Commission to decide what it really needs to do,” the President noted at an event in France.

Then on 14th November 2016, at an NDC political rally, he indicated that; "being an election year, I will appeal to all political parties and other civil society organisations to give the Electoral Commission the peace of mind to do its work. Our Constitution says that the Electoral Commission shall not be subjected to the direction of or control of any person and that includes me."

Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM morning show 'Kokrokoo', Kwamena Duncan said the former President was right to say the EC had all the right to do its work "and so what has changed"?

"He was quite eloquent on this. He was right to say the EC should be allowed to do its work so what has changed….now what we are hearing is I will kill you and so on; who are you?" he charged.