Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has raised significant concerns about the credibility of the Electoral Commission’s (EC) voters’ register ahead of the December 7, 2024 elections.
In a detailed Facebook post, Dr. Omane Boamah claimed that the current voters’ register is “unfit for purpose” and called for a forensic audit or a thorough parliamentary investigation to address what he described as “incurably defective” anomalies.
Dr. Omane Boamah’s concerns stem from what he perceives as deliberate tampering with the register by the EC, an issue he says was uncovered through the NDC’s diligent scrutiny during the exhibition exercise.
“The Electoral Commission of Ghana refused to release the voters’ register to the NDC on time ahead of the exhibition exercise,” he stated. Despite the delay, the NDC’s efforts revealed several critical issues that, if not resolved, could jeopardize the outcome of the 2024 elections.
The NDC’s examination of the register identified five key anomalies:
- Missing Names: The party discovered that the names of registered voters were missing from the list, potentially disenfranchising eligible voters.
- Misplaced on Lists: Qualified voters were incorrectly placed on the Exception List or the Multiple List, which could prevent them from voting on election day.
- Disqualified Individuals: Some individuals disqualified due to multiple registrations or successful challenges were still found on the Main Provisional Voters Register (PVR), raising questions about the accuracy of the register.
- Unauthorized Transfers: Voters were transferred from one polling station to another without their knowledge. Additionally, old transfers that should have been resolved were still appearing on the register.
- Polling Station Changes: Some voters were moved from one polling station to another without their consent, causing confusion and potential voter suppression.
Dr. Omane Boamah also pointed out flaws in the proxy voting application process, where voters were allowed to apply for proxy voting earlier this year without proper biometric verification. He argued that these anomalies are avoidable mistakes that could seriously affect the credibility of the upcoming elections.
“The exhibition exercise has revealed avoidable problems, which, if not resolved, can jeopardize the outcome of the 2024 elections,” Dr. Omane Boamah warned.
He urged Parliament to investigate the Electoral Commission, and if Parliament fails to act, he called on Ghanaians and the international community to pressure the EC to allow for a forensic audit of the voters’ register.
He also highlighted unresolved security issues at the EC, including the theft of Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) laptops and Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) from the EC’s headquarters, which he believes further undermines the integrity of the register.
Dr. Omane Boamah hinted at upcoming public fora and demonstrations to address these concerns, emphasizing the need for immediate action to ensure a fair and transparent election process.