Accra, Ghana, May 7, 2020//-A sinister collaboration among Electoral Commission (EC), National Identification Authority (NIA) and the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) could mar Ghana’s 2020 election.
The Caucus for Democratic Governance (CDG-Gh) which gave the warning after researching thoroughly into the activities of the above-mentioned organizations, maintained that free and fair presidential and parliament elections could elude the country.
The Executive Director of CDG-Gh, Dr E.K. Hayford said they have come to a firm conclusion that the EC and its Chairperson Mrs Jean Mensah are not transparent.
“… She is also not credible. Indeed she lacks integrity, neutrality and fairness to steer the affairs of the EC”, he added.
“We are not surprised at the conduct and behaviour of Madam Jean Mensah. It is her way of saying thank you to the President. After breaking all protocols, the President virtually carried her into the position of Electoral Commissioner”.
In 2018, Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed Mrs Jean Mensah after sacking Mrs Charlotte Osei over procurement breaches.
Since Mrs Mensah’s appointment, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is of the conviction that she is doing things to please the President.
Dr Hayford puts it: “He who pays the piper calls the tune. The President is therefore calling the tune for the 2020 election. The symbiotic agenda between the EC and the President; the President and NIA and the EC and NPP makes everything possible. From disenfranchising 1.5 million people and forcing to create a new voter`s register using 2020 NIA data”.
Furthermore, in this period of COVID-19 which claimed 18 lives in the country, the ruling party, the EC and the NIA were clandestinely working to achieve victory for the President in the upcoming election.
For instance, on the 19th April, the President Akufo-Addo lifted the ban on COVID-19 partial lockdown on Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi and its surrounding communities.
The next day the NIA started registration in the Eastern Region while the EC went on training registration officers.
With the endorsement of government, the EC went further to organize workshops in violation of the ban on social gathering and physical distancing.
“Why has the EC officials not been arrested? Why have the four Akuapim sub chiefs been arrested for the same offence? Why have the priest and three others from Volta Region been jailed for breaking the same ban? Dr Hayford asked.
It is clear that the Akufo-Addo government pretends to be fighting COVID-19, but in reality he is pushing personal advantage over his opponents to enable him win the election.
The registration carried out by the NIA, has disenfranchised 1.5 million Ghanaians as theirs were names were expunged from the new NIA register over flimsy reasons.
It becomes clear when one compares the 2016 register to the 2020 register by NIA. The poorly carried out mass registration exercise did not register 1.5 million people mostly in NDC strongholds.
The only region which had more registered voters was in Ashanti Region–the strong hold of NPP, according to Dr Hayford.
In 2016, over 3.06 million people were registered in Greater Accra Region but in the 2020 registration exercise only more than 1,99 million people were registered.
Roughly one million people have been taken off the register.
In Central Region, Northern Region and almost all the regions apart from Ashanti Region sizable number of the Ghanaian population.
Dr Hayford cautioned: “As a developing country, we run the risk of destroying our country, if personal political interest of the ruling party over shadows the interest of the Ghanaian people who voted them into office”.
African Eye Report
