The Center for Social Democracy has criticised the Danquah Institute over claims the latter made with regards to the credibility of the voters register.
They noted that the Danquah Institute alleged that the Electoral Commission lied to the apex court, the Supreme Court, in the Abu Ramadan case and also failed to delete the names of persons who registered using National Health Insurance Cards.
In a 14-point release rebutting the allegations by the institute, the Center for Democratic Governance alluded that they had done very little in proving that the country’s electoral body had to compile a new voters register.
“If the Danquah Institute after 6 years finds it convenient to allege that the order of the court was not complied with, they must be held to strict proof. This is a serious allegation that constitutes grounds for removal of office by officers of the EC,” part of the statement reads.
Read their full statement below:
1. Our attention has been drawn to claims by the Danquah Institute that the Electoral Commission lied to the Supreme Court in the Abu Ramadan case and also failed to delete the names of persons who registered using National Health Insurance Cards.
2. They further alleged that the EC failed to comply with CI 78 and accepted other forms of identification that were unlawful.
3. If Danquah Institute has any evidence of perjury or acts of illegality, they know best where to present their evidence. The institute has failed to provide any evidence to their claims.
4. The failure of EC to comply with Supreme Court order to delete names of persons with illegal means of identification on the electoral roll as ordered by the Supreme Court cannot be a justification for the creation of a new voters’ register.
5. As Ghanaians will recall, the Supreme Court upon determining that the National Health Insurance card was not a valid identification for voter registration ascertained from the EC whether or not they could identify persons who used such means of identification to register. The EC responded in the affirmative. Consequently, the Supreme Court ordered the EC to submit the list to the court. The court thereafter ordered the deletion of these names and stated that such persons should not be disenfranchised but must be given the opportunity to regularize their names on the voters roll through valid means of identification.
6. The Court was minded that the right to vote is an inalienable right that must be protected and was careful not to disenfranchise people as the Plaintiffs sought to prevail on the Court so to do.
7. If the Danquah Institute after 6 years finds it convenient to allege that the order of the court was not complied with, they must be held to strict proof. This is a serious allegation that constitutes grounds for removal of office by officers of the EC.
8. Danquah Institute further alleges that they have done some research that shows that there are ineligible persons on the register and therefore same should be grounds for compilation of a new register. If the Institute wants Ghanaians to take them seriously, they should proceed and publish their research findings for all Ghanaians to see. They may further proceed to court with their evidence to cause the deletion of names of such persons.
9. It is interesting to note that while on one hand Danquah Institute through its so-called research can identify persons who register using invalid identification cards, it claimed that the EC that keep records of forms or identification used at the time of registration cannot ascertain the types of identification people used to register.
10. It is unfortunate to note that the same institute that advocated for a biometric voters’ register 10 years ago, resulting in millions of taxpayers money expended, will turn around to find reasons for the same register to be thrown away.
11. More than 20 civil society organizations have given ample reasons why a new voter register compilation is not the best option to the EC based on empirical evidence even before the pandemic.
12. The outbreak of COVID-19 and the related fiscal pressures are enough grounds to discard the intended compilation of a new register.
13. Some churches have indicated their resolve to keep their places of worship closed even though restrictions were eased by the President. This signals that, eligible voters are likely to stay home rather than going out to que for registration due largely to overcrowding and risk of being infected with the Coronavirus. This is an indication that many eligible voters are likely to be disenfranchised.
14. We appeal to the EC to listen to the overwhelming majority not to compile a new register. Rather, embark on a limited registration exercise, thereby minimizing the possibility of crowding and further spreading COVID-19 and protecting the public purse.
Signed
Beatrice Annangfio, Esq
Fellow, CSD-Ghana
Kwame Ampomah,
Fellow CSD-Ghana
File photo: A voter's name being checked in the register