Having a credible voters register — National interest must be guiding principle
The ongoing debate on a credible voters register for the country took a new turn on Wednesday, when the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Charlotte Osei, said the commission was considering employing the services of some foreign Information Technology (IT) experts.
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The IT experts would be required to essentially find out the veracity or otherwise of the claims by some political parties that the voters register is bloated with the names of foreign nationals and minors.
Already, there has been heated debate since the announcement was made, with the two major political parties in the country – the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), predictably sticking to opposing sides of the argument.
We urge both opposing sides to the argument for a new or revised voters register to begin to look at the national interest as the debate rages on, instead of sticking to their uncompromising stance on the issue.
After all, it is a matter that concerns every Ghanaian, whether an eligible voter or not, for if it all ends well we would add to our credentials as a budding democracy in the West African sub-region and on the whole African continent.
Conversely, if we allow the conversation to deteriorate so much that we do not quickly find a middle ground that is acceptable to all before the 2016 elections, we would become all the more poorer as a nation.
The Daily Graphic therefore, urges the EC and the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) to leave no stone unturned to ensure that this matter is settled before this year comes to an end.
The year 2016 is just three months away, and it would do us a lot of good if we are able to come off our high horses and dialogue with our sights set on what would be beneficial to the whole country as far as the 2016 elections are concerned.
Ghana has during its six elections experienced some close-to-call instances, but we have escaped by a hair’s breadth. After the last elections in 2012, it took the Supreme Court to settle the matter of who legitimately won, after an eight-month marathon sitting that took a toll on the whole country.
Everyone’s desire is for the country to have a presidential election where there would be a clear and convincing winner or results that would be accepted by all.
This, however, will not come on a silver platter. We have to work at achieving that as a country and it all starts with getting the parameters and foundation right, right from the start.
The IPAC and EC owe it to Ghanaians to ensure that we do not enter the next elections with suspicion, acrimony or dissatisfaction.
Mrs Charlotte Osei and her team of commissioners must not sleep over this but carefully scrutinise the proposals submitted by the political parties with their leaders and all stakeholders, including the institutions of democracy and governance in the country, and come up with the best decision for the country.