Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has said the party’s position on the compilation of the new voters’ register remains the same.
According to him, the NDC’s participation in the piloting exercise was to “only participated in piloting exercise to “monitor the process for purposes of our preparation towards a limited voter registration exercise”
He, however, indicated that the piloting exercise proved the registration was ‘needless and wasteful’ after the party’s participation.
He explained in a statement that, “For the avoidance of doubt, our participation in the just-ended ‘pilot’ voter registration exercise, which appears to be fueling this wrong and in some cases mischievous impression, was to monitor the process for purposes of our preparation towards a limited voter registration exercise, a position we have canvassed publicly.”
“Our observation of the EC’s so-called pilot registration process, has revealed serious issues which reinforce our position that, the new voter registration agenda of the Jean Mensah-led EC is needless, wasteful and can erode the democratic gains we have made since the inception of the fourth Republic if not stopped.” He added.
Below is the full statement
NDC’s POSITION ON THE COMPILATION OF A NEW VOTERS’ REGISTER REMAINS UNCHANGED.
The attention of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has been drawn to some misleading suggestions in both mainstream media and social media space to the effect that the party has backtracked on our position on the compilation of a new voters’ register by the Jean Mensah-led Electoral Commission.
For the avoidance of doubt, our participation in the just-ended “pilot” voter registration exercise, which appears to be fueling this wrong and in some cases mischievous impression, was to monitor the process for purposes of our preparation towards a limited voter registration exercise, a position we have canvassed publicly.
Our observation of the EC’s so-called pilot registration process, has revealed serious issues which reinforce our position that, the new voter registration agenda of the Jean Mensah-led EC is needless, wasteful and can erode the democratic gains we have made since the inception of the fourth Republic if not stopped.
We wish to state unequivocally, that our position against the compilation of a new voters’ register has not changed. We maintain that the existing voters’ register, which has successfully delivered five (5) national elections with legitimate outcomes is credible and fit for purpose.
We still hold the position, that the entrenched decision by the intransigent and headstrong Jean Mensah-led EC to foist a new voters’ register on the country, is not only unreasonable and financially imprudent, but a ploy to rig the 2020 general election for President Akufo-Addo and the ruling New Patriotic Party, through voter suppression in NDC strongholds.
The agenda of the Jean Mensah-led Electoral commission to disenfranchise millions of eligible voters, has the tendency to jeopardize the peace and democracy of this country. Hence, we shall continue to employ every legitimate means to stop this evil agenda as we have already intimated publicly.
The party shall, in the coming days make public its comprehensive assessment of the Electoral Commission’s so-called pilot registration exercise which has turned out to be a total fiasco.
Signed Comrade Sammy Gyamfi Esq. National Communication Officer
Sammy Gyamfi, National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress