The National Peace Council’s recent endorsement of using the Ghana Card for future elections has drawn criticism as the December 7th, 2024 national elections are just five months away. It’s noted that the National Identification Authority’s financial proposal for citizen card production faced setbacks due to inadequate funds from the central government.
Mahdi Jibrill, Deputy Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), expressed these views on the Adekyee Mu Nsem morning show on Ahotor 92.3 FM hosted by Alex Nana Dogbey in Accra. He emphasized the NDC’s commitment to truth and the Electoral Commission’s initiative to foster healthy stakeholder engagement through IPAC meetings.
In another development, the National Peace Council has supported the Electoral Commission’s plan to exclusively use the Ghana Card for future voter registrations. Initially facing opposition due to challenges in Ghana Card issuance by the National Identification Authority (NIA), this decision follows a closed-door meeting where Dr. Ernest Adu Gyamfi, Chairman of the National Peace Council, highlighted flaws in the current guarantor system and advocated for standardized registration.
Meanwhile, Electoral Commission Chairperson Jean Mensa affirmed plans to include newly turned 18 inmates in prison facilities during a mop-up exercise from August 1st to 3rd, 2024. This initiative aims to register eligible citizens across all 268 district offices, including newly established constituencies like Guan.
Regarding the NDC’s return to IPAC, Jean Mensa acknowledged the party’s constructive contributions to electoral reforms since their hiatus starting March 2020. Their renewed participation has facilitated valuable feedback and improvements in the electoral process, following their initial boycott over concerns about the EC’s impartiality during the 2020 elections.
This marks a significant step towards collaborative efforts in enhancing Ghana’s electoral integrity and inclusivity ahead of the upcoming elections.
