Opinions of Friday, 19 February 2016

Columnist: Arthur & Owusu

We demand answers, Madam Electoral Commissioner!

We Demand Answers, Madam Electoral Commissioner! – STUNNAD

OUR attention has been drawn to certain abnormalities with regard to the voters' ID cards of some registration centers and we are calling on the Electoral Commissioner, MS Charlotte Osei to provide answers before the start of another limited registration.

Abnormality 1 - On the Limited Voters' registration Exercise in August 2014

Reports obtained during the limited voters' registration exercise in August 2014 show some irregularities with regards to the voter ID card numbers issued to the voters. The voter ID number of a registered voter and the next voter to him/her at the same registration center shows the cap intervals of 8, 16, 18 etc. This is clearly abnormal when it comes to the generation of computerized numbers for number of people on the same row or string. For example in the Ashanti region, in Subin, Anlo Fante New Town, computer number 27373; from the person registered with voter ID number 2737300687 at the station code number F180901. The next person registered in the same row at the same center was given ID number 2737300703, a cap interval of 16. The correct (normal) ID number should have been 2737300688 and NOT 2737300703. The Electoral Commissioner should explain to us why that 16 digits intervals. Who are those who fit into the said 16 interval cap? When those people did get registered?

Again in Bekwai Adjamesu, the first registered voter assigned to center number F040601 has voter ID number 2551500016. The next person in the line at this same center has a voter ID number 2551500024 instead of 2551500017. There are invisible 8 in between the cap and we must know who they are.

Abnormality 2 – Method of the Upcoming Limited Registration

We have been reliably informed that the Electoral Commission will adopt a new but very strange method of registering the new voters in the upcoming exercise. That the EC will combine as many as Ten(10) polling stations as only one (1) registration center in Ashanti region, some part of Central and Eastern regions. Again, unlike the previous method where the whole registration is done at one center, this time the EC is planning to move the registration kit from one center to another spending only 10 days at a spot. What is the rationale behind this and why only in these selected regions? Is it a way to get people frustrated and aggravated just to reduce their number of voters? We all know the attitude of "last day rush" of some people.



Abnormality 3 – Mr. Amadu Sulley Compiling a List of all NDC Electoral Officers across the Country

We have been reliably informed that Mr. Amadu Sulley, the head of operations at the Electoral Commission is secretly compiling a list of all NDC electoral officers across the country. We need a full disclosure of the motive behind this list.

Abnormality 4 – EC Is Compiling List of Those Rejected By Biometric Verification Machine (BVM)

The EC according to our information is compiling a list per every region of all those who were rejected by the BVM during the 2012 elections. The motive of this exercise is not too clear and we demand answers from the EC.

Alleged Passport Issued to the Foreigners

We have been again informed about the NDC's plans with the Passport Office for issuing new and the old passports at their disposal to foreigners at the border towns in Elubo, Paga, Sampa, Aflao and other border towns. We are receiving information from Noe in Ivory Coast, Dakola in Burkina Faso of some people perceived to be NDC members given out old passport books to some non-Ghanaians to use for the coming voters' registration. We demand a full publication of all passports (both old and new) issued and those yet to be collected by their owners.



~~~Signed~~~

Chris Arthur, National President

Nana Kwame Owusu, Convener, Ashanti Region