We can use NPP’s system to cleanse register – Ben Ephson

An elections analyst and editor of the Daily Dispatch, Ben Ephson has said Ghana can use the NPP’s mechanism to remove the names of the alleged foreigners from the countries voters register.

He however indicated that before such a decision can be taken the electoral commission must first find out when the alleged foreigners registered onto the Ghanaian and the Togolese registers.

He further indicated that if it established that the foreigners registered in Ghana before going to Togo to register, then “NPP’s argument is floored. But if they registered in Togo and later came to register in Ghana then the EC can go ahead and delete the names.”

Mr. Ephson said “granted the NPP’s position is true, we can use their mechanism to remove the names from the register.”

The NPP has alleged that there are about 76,000 Togolese names in the Ghanaian voters register. It was on the back of this claim that Mr. Ephson says if their mechanism can detect the names of foreigners, it can be adopted to help cleanse the Ghanaian register.

Speaking to TV3 News after making his presentation at the just ended EC Forum to debate whether or not Ghana must get a totally new voters register, Ben Ephson said although there is a problem with Ghana’s Voters register, getting an entirely new one will not guarantee a credible register.

The forum saw political parties, Civil Society Organisations and Religious bodies making presentations to back the NPP’s call for an entirely new register or an audited one as claimed by the NDC.

The five-member committee would make recommendations to the Electoral Commission to after the hearing which would guide the EC on its final decision over the debate.