The Electoral Commission (EC) has admitted that its data management practices are not only inadequate but critically flawed, requiring immediate external intervention. The recent delay in providing the 2024 Preliminary Voter Register (PVR) was a significant issue; it was only released after considerable pressure.
The EC’s characterization of the voter register as “robust and credible” seems contradictory, especially in light of the Deputy Chairman’s admission that transfers in Pusiga occurred without proper procedure. If the register is indeed credible, why were such discrepancies allowed?
The intent of the EC cannot be easily discerned; as Shakespeare’s Macbeth notes, “There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face.” Ghana’s reputation for electoral integrity cannot be sustained with the EC’s current track record.
There are numerous concerns about the EC’s transparency, including 35 unresolved questions about stolen or missing Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) and Biometric Verification Device (BVD) kits. While human error is inevitable, there is a critical difference between reasonable mistakes and serious, potentially criminal errors.
The issue of a District Officer transferring voters without their knowledge raises serious questions about how many other instances might be concealed.
Recommendations:
Given that many Regional Directors and District Electoral Officers are aware of the register’s flaws, the following actions are demanded:
Full Explanation: The EC must provide a detailed account of the events in Pusiga that led to the Director’s interdiction.
Ongoing Corrections: Efforts to correct the register must continue without delay.
Re-Exhibition: A re-exhibition of the voter register is non-negotiable.
Forensic Audit: A comprehensive forensic audit is essential to ensure the integrity of the voter registration process.
