The Minority has criticised the Electoral Commission (EC) for actions that they believe have the potential to disturb the peace and threaten the stability of the country.
They expressed concerns about the conduct of the EC during the Limited Voter Registration exercise, stating that the Commission made poor decisions that compromised the integrity of Ghana’s electoral process.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, June 11, the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, claimed that the EC frequently makes disruptive and unpopular decisions.
“Mr Speaker, while we acknowledge that the Electoral Commission is an independent body, it must be pointed out in no uncertain terms to the Electoral Commission that it does not have the independence to make dangerous, ridiculous and outrageous decisions that can affect the peace and stability of our country and its democracy.
"It is therefore imperative for Parliament to call the Electoral Commission to order and to save the democracy that we have always protected," he said.
He argued that the EC’s decision to restrict first-time voters to register only at the EC offices was particularly problematic.
"That reckless decision had the potential to disenfranchise or deprive the vast majority of first-time voters the opportunity to have their names captured in the voter register," he said.
He added that this decision also imposed a significant and unplanned financial burden on Members of Parliament, parliamentary candidates, and political parties.
Dr Forson noted that despite the chaos caused by the limited voter registration, the EC had not learned from its mistakes.
“Mr Speaker, the Electoral Commission is making a simple electoral process very cumbersome, frustrating, expensive and burdensome. These developments do not inspire hope in our electoral process, rather they give people and some political parties cause to question the integrity of the processes ahead of the 2024 general elections.
“We are concerned that if these frustrating actions and decisions of the Electoral Commission are not checked, it can negatively impact the peace and stability of our democracy,” he said.
Dr Forson stated that these developments are unhealthy for the country’s electoral process and democracy, reinforcing public perception of bias on the part of the EC.
Credit: Prince Adu-Owusu