Ghana’s Electoral Commission: A Recipe for Disaster – Incompetence, Mistrust, and Betrayal of Public Trust
Ahmed M. Gedel Writes:
Deputy Zongo Caucus Coordinator, USA.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana, led by Jean Adukwei Mensah and Dr. Bossman Asare has embarked on a perilous journey of voter registration, marred by egregious errors, omissions, and a blatant disregard for transparency.
Their actions have raised more questions than answers, casting a dark shadow over the integrity of Ghana’s electoral process.
The Commission’s decision to compile a new voter register in 2020, under the guise of correcting alleged inaccuracies and bloating under former EC boss Charlotte Osei, has proven to be a catastrophic mistake.
The exercise was conducted in the midst of a global pandemic, with little regard for the safety and well-being of citizens. The resulting register is a testament to the Commission’s incompetence, replete with errors, omissions, and inconsistencies.
The EC’s failure to provide access to qualified voters to register after the 2020 election is a flagrant violation of the law governing continuous voter registration. This brazen disregard for the law has created a culture of mistrust, with citizens questioning the Commission’s commitment to fairness and transparency.
In stark contrast, countries like the UK and Dominican Republic regularly publish their continuous voter registers, once in a year and every three months respectively, to ensure accountability and transparency.
The voter exhibition exercise, intended to correct errors, confirm registrations, and remove ineligible voters, has been an unmitigated disaster. With a turnout of only 13%-20%, the EC’s approach has failed to address the register’s inaccuracies, leaving the door open for electoral manipulation and fraud. Ghana’s voter-to-register model, unlike the more effective register-to-voter model used in Australia, Canada, and Mexico, has proven woefully inadequate.
The Electoral Commission’s actions have betrayed the public trust, undermining the very foundations of Ghana’s democracy. It is imperative that they take immediate action to restore faith in the electoral process. A forensic audit of the voter register is crucial to addressing the register’s anomalies and restoring public trust.
The future of Ghana’s democracy hangs in the balance, as the Electoral Commission’s incompetence and mistrust threaten to derail the electoral process. Jean Mensah must listen to the concerns of stakeholders and take corrective action to restore faith in the electoral process. The nation demands nothing but transparency, accountability, and fairness.
The Electoral Commission’s recalcitrant behavior will not be tolerated. It is time for them to take responsibility for their actions and restore public trust. The citizens of Ghana will not be silenced, and their voices will be heard. The Commission must act now to prevent a constitutional crisis and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
The fate of Ghana’s democracy hangs precariously in the balance, as Jean Mensah and the Electoral Commission stand at the crossroads of history. Will they choose the path of transparency and accountability, or will the nation be plunged into darkness?
Ahmed M Gedel Former NDC Technical Advisor on Biometric and NDC Rep@ IPAC &UNDP-Ghana
