KEY POINTS
- The NDC has accepted the Electoral Commission’s pledge to release a corrected 2024 provisional voters register.
- The party had previously raised concerns over inaccuracies in the initial register.
- The release of a corrected register is seen as a crucial step toward ensuring a fair electoral process.
Ghana’s opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has agreed with the Electoral Commission (EC) to release a corrected version of the 2024 provisional voters register after complaints were made about the first one. The NDC had earlier accused the EC of presenting a flawed register that may affect the credibility of the general election.
The party’s acceptance of the EC’s pledge comes after weeks of tension between the two entities, with the NDC complaining about what it said were massive errors, including missing names and duplication. The NDC said these problems could lead to voter suppression and compromise the integrity of the election.
EC’S response to criticism
In response to the concerns, the EC wanted to assure the public and political parties that the corrections would be made to make the voters register accurate. The commission also promised to release the corrected version in the coming days to give enough time to address any remaining issues before the 2024 elections.
GhanaWeb reported that the EC reiterated commitment to the conduct of free and fair elections, and noted that the credibility of the voters register is central to the stability of Ghana’s democracy.
The EC also called on all the political parties and other stakeholders to support the process in order to achieve a free and fair election.
One small move towards free and fair elections
Another positive development Ghana’s politics w.dt is encouraging towards the electoral commission especially from the NDC is the acceptance of the EC’s pledge.
The new voters register should help alleviate the party’s initial concerns and bring back faith in the electoral process as the nation gears up for the 2024 general elections.
Ghana, which is one of the most stable democracies in West Africa, has always boasted of a peaceful election. But the current conflict between the political parties and the electoral commission has brought to bear the fact that there is still a long way to go in order to ensure the credibility of the process.
As the new register is expected to be out soon, many Ghanaians are optimistic that the 2024 elections will be free and fair. The acceptance by the NDC of the commitment of the EC means that political parties and the electoral commission are gradually coming to terms to ensure a free and fair election.
