The Electoral Commission’s baffling statement

Ajoa Yeboah-Afari Politics Jan - 07 - 2016 , 22:50

I don’t know which news was meant to bury the other, the announcement of the resignation of Minister of Power, Dr Kwabena Donkor, or the statement from the Electoral Commission announcing its decision not to compile a new voters register.

The nation had been awaiting the outcome of the consultations of the Electoral Commission on the thorny matter of whether there should be a new voters register, also known as an electoral register/roll, for Election 2016 or the problematic current roll should just be cleaned up, as the ruling National Democratic Congress insisted.

Earlier last year, Dr Donkor had promised a country fed up with the erratic electricity supply of more than three years that he would resign if by the end of the year the load-shedding persisted. News of his resignation, just a day after his ‘mission accomplished’ announcement caused surprise in some quarters, but others wondered if he had been pushed because, despite his claim of success, some areas still had no light.

Arguably, those were the two most keenly watched spaces in recent times. But was the timing of the two announcements, both on the last day of 2015, a mere coincidence?

Although the EC indicated that its statement was a preliminary one, promising a full report within one week, I have some concerns with it.

The following is the abridged statement signed by Christian Owusu-Parry, the Commission’s acting Director of Public Affairs:

“ELECTORAL COMMISSION’S POSITION ON THE VOTERS’ REGISTER

“Following the receipt of the (panel’s) report on December 21, 2015, the Commission has concluded its study of the report submitted by the Panel and wishes to advise the public as follows:
“1. The Panel finds the arguments for a new register unconvincing and therefore does not recommend the replacement of the current voters’ register;
“2. The Panel is of the view that the responsibility for having a clean and credible register is the shared responsibility of all citizens of Ghana;
“3. The Electoral Commission accepts the recommendations of the Panel and will progressively implement the recommendations made therein;
“4. The Electoral Commission will continue to engage stakeholders to ensure that a clean and credible voters’ register is in place for the 2016 general elections through an inclusive and collaborative audit process;

“The Commission further wishes to inform the public that it has examined all the allegations and complaints made by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the voters’ register and has responded appropriately to the party.

“A copy of the findings of the Commission into the claims made by the NPP will also be made available to the Public on the Commission’s website,” it concluded.

I had been prepared to be overwhelmed by a dazzling explanation by the EC, as to why Ghana doesn’t need a new electoral register, because Chairperson Charlotte Osei had long indicated that she supported that view. One of the pointers was her earlier, rather bewildering remark that compiling a new register “could be a recipe for chaos”, because the EC would have to create an additional 30,000 polling stations.

But I found the statement disappointing, to say the least.

Even though a preliminary statement, on Point 1 I find it strange that not even a single reason given by the panel for rejecting the calls for a new register is stated as an example.

Point 2 is a shockingly lame excuse! If it is so simple, why was there the need for the panel? What then is the duty of the EC? Is it not because there needs to be a lead body that we have an Electoral Commission, with a Chairperson in charge?

And if the EC has responded “appropriately” to the allegations and complaints of the New Patriotic Party, why no examples of the responses in the statement, since the NPP allegations were apparently a reason for the establishment of the panel?

Why seemingly downplay the NPP claims without even indicating why they were found without merit?

Was that the best the EC could do? How will the above statements allay the fears of those who believe that “an audit” will not give Ghana a register that will ensure a level playing field for Election 2016?

One can only hope that when the promised full report comes, it will be better written and presented.

The general, simmering apprehension in the country about Election 2016 is reflected in the fact that every single religious leader, and almost all individuals, interviewed in the media about the New Year, spoke about the poll and their prayer that it will be peaceful.

Indeed, a visitor to our shores would doubtless gather the impression that the general election is only days away and not an event scheduled for November!

It was critical for the EC, for Mrs Osei, to present a robust, convincing statement to demonstrate the Commission’s absolute genuine belief that the fears of the NPP and others are groundless. Also, what was important was an indication of the measures to be taken and, importantly, how the audit is to be conducted to give us a clean, credible, acceptable register.

For the record, the five-member panel of eminent personalities constituted by Mrs Osei to assess the voters register submissions and make recommendations to the EC was chaired by former Electoral

Commissioner and retired Supreme Court judge, Mr Justice V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe.

Other members were: the Most Rev Professor Emmanuel Asante, Chair of the Ghana Peace Council; Alhaji Maulvi Bin Salih, Ameer of the Ahmadiyya Mission in Ghana; Dr Grace Bediako, a former

Government Statistician and Professor Nii Narku Quaynor, President of the Internet Society of Ghana.

The Commission organised a special forum on October 29 and 30 to kick-start the work of the panel. Given the gravity of the matter, did the panel’s findings not deserve the same or similar treatment as the start of its assignment?

In my view, the long-awaited decision on the register, so central to Election 2016, was not a pronouncement to be communicated through a baffling, opaque statement signed by an acting Director of Public Affairs.

However, if it had to be a statement, it should have been one signed by Electoral Commissioner Mrs Charlotte Osei herself.

And it should have been an authoritative, illuminating and convincing statement worthy of the status of the Electoral Commission.

(ajoayeboahafari@yahoo.com)

The Writer is a columnist (Thoughts of a Native Daughter) in a The Mirror newspaper