Voters’ register credible but overstretched – EC

The Electoral Commission has justified the decision to change the voters’ register with just a year to the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

According to the Commission, the current register has been overstretched, hence, the need for a new one with enhanced features to protect its credibility.

Addressing the media Monday ahead of Tuesday’s assembly elections, the electoral commission said the current register “is credible but it has been stretched to a point where you don’t want to take that same risk. We want to have something that is more credible. If you remember, during the exhibition some of you heard that some people were not captured because of the equipment we are using.

“This equipment we started using it in 2012…this is the only commission mandated by law to ensure that we run a very credible election, it is our job to make sure that going into a very major and partisan election you have what it takes.”

In March 2019, the EC announced it will compile a new voters’ register after an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting.

The need for the new voters’ register, according to the Commission, has been necessitated by several factors, including the need to replace the outmoded biometric machines.

Last week five political parties including the NDC boycotted a meeting convened by the EC for a demonstration on a new voters register.

The other parties are the PNC, Egle party, APC and UFP. The EC invited the parties for a demonstration on the new system developed by some consultants.

The system will use telecommunication companies as the backbone to transmit 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary election results.

Addressing a news conference in Accra Deputy General Secretary of the NDC Peter Boamah Otokunor said the Jeane Mensah led administration is sidelining IPAC in preparations for elections 2020.