Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) under the leadership of Jean Mensa has come under fire for three controversial decisions.
The decisions have sparked widespread debate and criticism among political stakeholders and the general public.
Here are three of them:
Sole use of Ghana Card as Voter ID: One of the decisions that has stirred controversy is the EC’s move to adopt the Ghana Card as the sole form of identification for voter registration and verification.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has made a strong case for the use of the Ghana Card as the sole document for identification for purposes of voter registration.
Despite various justifications by the Commission including claims that the use of the Ghana Card as the sole document for identification for voter registration will help improve the integrity of the electoral roll and ensure that only eligible Ghanaians are registered to vote, the decision received heavy backlash.
Critics argued that this decision is likely to disenfranchise citizens who do not possess the Ghana Card, particularly marginalized communities with limited access to the card issuance process.
The decision was eventually rejected by Parliament. The House unanimously recommended to the commission to include the guarantor system in the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulation, 2023 before it could present it for consideration.
Legislators were of the view that unless and until the challenges confronting the issuance of the Ghana Card were dealt with, using the Ghana Card as the only medium of voter registration would negatively impact the electoral roll and thereby deny some otherwise qualified persons from registering to vote.
Change in election date: Another decision that has raised eyebrows is the sudden alteration of the election date. This was initially triggered by a petition by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church who have called for a review of the election date given the fact that December 7 is a Saturday which is a day of worship for the church.
The EC has welcomed the petition and has declared its support for the change of the election date. The Commission has made a proposal, calling for the election date to be shifted from December 7, to November 7.
Many have questioned the need for such a change and have called for greater transparency and accountability from the EC in its decision-making process.
Abandonment of indelible ink: The EC’s decision to abandon the use of indelible ink during elections has also drawn criticism and skepticism.
Indelible ink has traditionally been used as a measure to prevent multiple voting and maintain the integrity of the electoral process. However, the Commission in December 2023, revealed its intention to scrap the use of indelible ink in forthcoming elections.
Justifying their decision, the Commission noted that the biometric identification system flags anyone who attempts multiple registrations and that anyone who has been verified after casting their ballot cannot vote again, hence their decision to scrap the use of indelible ink.
This decision by the EC has also raised concerns about the effectiveness of alternative measures in ensuring the credibility of elections, with various bodies and persons including the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Global Security for Africa Research and Good Governance (GLOSARGG), Adam Bonaa and others, criticising the move.
These three decisions by the Jean Mensah-led EC have sparked controversy and debate, with critics questioning the rationale behind these moves and expressing concerns about their potential impact on the credibility and integrity of Ghana’s electoral process.
As the country prepares for upcoming elections, calls for transparency, accountability, and adherence to international standards in electoral management have grown louder.