Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has expressed serious concerns about the reliability of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) voters’ register in advance of the December 7 elections.
In a Facebook post, Dr. Boamah criticized the current register as being “unfit for purpose” and called for either a forensic audit or a comprehensive parliamentary investigation to address what he describes as “fundamentally flawed” issues.
He pointed out that the EC did not provide the NDC with the voters’ register in a timely manner before the exhibition period, suggesting that this delay was intentional.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Boamah commended the NDC’s meticulous review process during the exhibition, which has uncovered numerous problems with the register that could threaten the integrity of the 2024 elections if left unresolved.
“The register compiled by the EC is unfit for purpose.
Without a forensic audit or thorough parliamentary investigation of the EC’s voter register, the register will remain incurably defective,” he stated.
“Forget about adjudication! It’s obvious the register has deliberately been tampered with!”
Key Anomalies Uncovered
Dr. Omane Boamah detailed several anomalies found during the exercise, which he believes point to a flawed electoral process. These anomalies include:
Missing Names: Registered voters whose names are absent from the voters’ register.
Misplaced Qualified Voters: Individuals who are qualified to vote but have been wrongly placed on the Exception List or the Multiple List.
Unremoved Disqualified Voters: Persons who were disqualified due to multiple registrations or successful challenges but remain on the Main Provisional Voters Register (PVR).
Unauthorised Transfers: People who have been transferred without their knowledge, in addition to old transfers still appearing on the register.
Polling Station Mismatches: Voters who have been moved from one polling station to another without their knowledge.
Dr. Omane Boamah also criticised the “awkward process” that allowed voters to apply for proxy voting earlier this year without verifying their biometrics.
Calls for Action
The NDC’s Director of Elections has called for an immediate investigation by Ghana’s Parliament into the EC’s handling of the voters’ register.
He stressed that if Parliament fails to act, both Ghanaians and the international community must pressure the EC to allow a forensic audit of its system, including the register.
“As contained in the uploaded petition, the Parliament of Ghana must investigate the Electoral Commission.
“If Parliament fails, Ghanaians, together with the international community, must exert enough pressure on the EC to permit a forensic audit of their system, including the register,” he emphasised.
NDC’s Director of Elections, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has raised alarms over unresolved issues concerning the Electoral Commission’s (EC) management of voter registration and verification equipment.
He emphasised that the theft of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) laptops—captured by CCTV at the EC headquarters—has yet to be addressed. In addition, there are ongoing concerns about missing or stolen Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs).
Dr. Omane Boamah also suggested that the NDC is planning a series of public forums and protests aimed at demanding transparency and accountability from the Electoral Commission.
These actions are part of the party’s broader effort to address and resolve these critical issues.
As Ghana prepares for the December 2024 elections, the NDC’s proactive stance underscores growing tensions and scrutiny surrounding the electoral process, with both political parties and the general public closely monitoring the EC’s actions.