A member of the National Communication Team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Saaka Salia, has criticized the National Democratic Congress (NDC), accusing them of habitually criticizing the Electoral Commission (EC) over minor matters.
Mr. Salia emphasized that the EC, like any institution, faces challenges and is not immune to them.
He referenced the ongoing limited voter registration exercise, where the NDC instructed its party agents to document the serial numbers of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits.
In response, the EC declined the NDC’s request, citing security concerns.
The NDC Chairman, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, instructed party agents to record the serial numbers of replaced BVR kits during registration.
“Our agents also have our firm instructions that if BVR kits malfunction and are replaced during registration, they should duly record the serial numbers of the new BVR kits and the date and time of use,”he added.
However, Saaka Salia, speaking on TV3’s New Day, defended the EC, suggesting that the NDC’s criticisms aim to discredit the Commission intentionally.
Regarding technical challenges, the EC directed its District Officers to switch to offline mode to expedite the registration process. They assured stakeholders that if there’s a backlog of voters, the registration period will be extended beyond the May 27 deadline.
Salia acknowledged the EC’s efforts to address challenges and improve the registration process, attributing some issues to factors beyond the Commission’s control, such as internet connectivity problems. He criticized the NDC for consistently attacking the EC, even over trivial matters.