In a press conference on Thursday, September 12, 2024, Samuel Tettey, Deputy Chairman of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) responsible for operations, raised questions about why the National Democratic Congress (NDC) did not call for a forensic audit of the voters’ register in 2016. Tettey claimed that the register contained non-human entities such as plants and animals. This statement seems inconsistent with Tettey’s known communication style, suggesting it might have been prepared for him to read. If such remarks had come from Bossman Asare, Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of Corporate Affairs—known for his NPP biases—I might have considered it the “new normal.” However, without proof that the statement wasn’t authored by Tettey himself, or if he failed to use good judgment in reading it, it raises questions about why the EC is avoiding an independent audit of the 2024 voters register.
SAMUEL TETTEY/EC SOILING THEIR OWN IMAGE
An Eʋe proverb compares a sheep that believes it is making the environment worse by leaving watery feces in town to a sheep that is merely soiling its own buttocks. Samuel Tettey intended to criticize the NDC but ended up revealing the inefficiencies and incompetence of the Electoral Commission, of which he has been a part since 2008. The crucial question is whether the 2016 voters register, which allegedly included plants and animals, was compiled by the NDC or the Electoral Commission itself. Samuel Tettey must clarify whether it was the EC’s error or the NDC’s fault.
Additionally, the logic behind claiming that the NDC forfeited its right to demand a forensic audit in 2024 because it did not call for one in 2016 is flawed. The NDC might not have called for an audit back then because the 2016 EC was not openly aligned with the NPP, unlike the current situation. If an initial oversight can be forgiven, repeating the mistake is a matter of choice.
Samuel Tettey, Bossman Asare, and Jean Adukwei Mensa should understand that not every criticism warrants a defensive response. A transparent EC is essential for trust. The effectiveness of any EC policy is measured by outcomes, not intentions. Given the errors in the voters register, the EC cannot claim commitment to a fair election.
If the EC has indeed corrected all anomalies in the 2024 voters register as claimed, it should actively encourage the NDC to verify these corrections and conduct an independent audit to clear its name and expose any shortcomings of the NDC. Truth stands up to scrutiny, whereas lies shy away from it. The Electoral Commission’s inability to address criticisms transparently has eroded trust and shifted the political landscape from cooperation to confrontation.
NEW IMAGE FOR THE EC
The Electoral Commission must address both common concerns (from the NDC and CSOs) and powerful political forces (from the NPP) to prevent national disaster. Instead of solving democracy’s problems, the EC has become part of the problem. Those who obstruct peaceful change make revolutionary change inevitable. If everyone is caught in turmoil, no one can escape.
Jean Adukwei Mensa should heed the wisdom of listening more than speaking. A responsive and inclusive EC is crucial for a functioning democracy. It is better to progress slowly in the right direction than to rush in the wrong one. The EC must recognize that no force can alter Ghanaians’ resolve to rebuild a fair democratic system. Ghanaians are determined to correct the corrupted system and return to the principles of democracy established by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
MISSING VOICES OF CONSCIENCE
Amidst the current chaos, Rev. Dr. Ernest Adu Gyamfi and the National Peace Council, once vocal, have been conspicuously silent. Traditional leaders and religious figures who previously spoke out are now also quiet. The Ghana Bar Association seems inactive. This silence allows the Electoral Commission to act unchallenged, endangering the democracy restored in 1992. These once-loud voices of conscience may only return when the NDC is in power, but by then, it may be too late.
When the nation faces anarchy, those who have been silent will be held accountable. A determined and oppressed people are powerful and will rise. The last time I saw Rev. Dr. Ernest Adu Gyamfi on television, he spoke with anger and frustration. Anger does not resolve conflicts; reconciliation does. If the Peace Council cannot build bridges, it should avoid creating divisions.
CONCLUSION
If the Electoral Commission has rectified all anomalies in the 2024 voters register, including removing erroneous entries, it should permit an independent audit to confirm these corrections and restore trust. Jean Adukwei Mensa should step forward and take decisive action, as past chairs like Dr. Afari Djan and Charlotte Osei did. Their willingness to subject the register to audits helped restore confidence. Jean Adukwei Mensa must lead with transparency and responsibility; failure to do so will place the burden of chaos squarely on her shoulders, not her deputies.
By: KWAMI ALORVI
