Opinions of Thursday, 21 December 2017

Columnist: Rev Dr Emmanuel Boakye

Ghanaians to vote in 2020 elections

Section of the Minority in Parliamnet Section of the Minority in Parliamnet

Regarding the above subject, it saddens me to hear that the NDC minority in parliament has expressed their dissatisfaction about its implementation.

Western World countries to do it every time there is an election in their countries and it works without any issues. Those countries have opposition parties though and they all accept such practice.

A member of the NDC parliamentary group said on Joy News a few days ago that because the Ghanaian

missions abroad are headed by the ruling party he does not think there will be transparency. This is absolutely childish because it is the same with the western world countries. There is no opposition party member who heads the country's mission abroad. The elections are conducted by the

Electoral Commission representative at the Embassy or High Commission which has nothing to do with Ambassador or High Commissioner. For the Electoral Commission to sit on this for eleven good years is a shame and undemocratic.

British Nationals and American Nationals resident in Ghana always vote at The BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION AND AMERICAN EMBASSY during their elections without any hitch.

An NPP member also said those abroad for example in London will be asked to go to Paris etc. If you make the voting burdensome i do not think people will be interested. The method must be easy and simple, let all Ghanaians register at the various EMBASSIES AND HIGH COMMISSIONS and send them ballot papers with prepaid stamped envelopes. They make their choices and post it using the prepaid stamped envelope. This process is not ambiguous or cumbersome.

The Electoral Commission can contact the British High Commission Office or the AMERICAN EMBASSY Office in Accra Ghana to learn how they do it.. After sixty years of Independence Ghana must exhibit some maturity and civilization.