The ongoing limited voter registration has sparked concerns over the Electoral Commission’s handling of the process, with fears that errors could jeopardize the country’s stability. Dr. Jonathan Asante Otchere, a senior lecturer and political analyst at the University of Cape Coast, raised these concerns during an interview on the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM, hosted by Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra.
Dr. Jonathan emphasized the crucial role of the Electoral Commission as the impartial arbiter of national elections, stressing the need for fairness and transparency in all electoral processes. He urged the commission to uphold strict timelines and ensure accuracy in data tabulation, advocating for the involvement of IT experts to prevent errors.
Expressing skepticism about the credibility of Electoral Commissioner Jean Mensah, Dr. Jonathan cited a low level of trust among Ghanaians, with only 20% viewing her as credible. He called for concerted efforts from the entire commission to enhance their performance, especially in the era of evolving technology, to avoid glaring mistakes in data collection and computation.
Dr. Jonathan cautioned against the perception that the Electoral Commission may be biased towards the government in power, citing instances where errors were defended rather than rectified. With the December polls looming, he stressed the urgency of addressing these concerns to maintain public trust in the electoral process.
In response to criticisms, the Electoral Commission dismissed the significance of errors in its recent publication on registered individuals. Dr. Bossman Asare, Deputy Electoral Commissioner, assured the public that corrective measures had been taken to prevent future mistakes. He provided updated registration figures for each region, emphasizing the accuracy of the data despite earlier discrepancies.
Dr. Bossman reiterated the commission’s commitment to ensuring a smooth electoral process and urged the public to have confidence in their efforts. Despite challenges, he assured that the integrity of the data remained intact, reaffirming the commission’s dedication to upholding transparency and fairness in the electoral process.
