The criminal trial involving the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, has been adjourned to Thursday, July 6.
The adjournment was necessary due to Quayson’s recent swearing-in ceremony in Parliament following his victory in the by-election.
On Tuesday, Quayson’s lawyers were set to present a motion for a stay of execution as part of their appeal filed at the court of appeal. However, prior to the hearing, Parliament sent a letter to the court informing them about the swearing-in ceremony.
Both the Prosecution and defence agreed to request an adjournment, which the court granted, rescheduling the proceedings for July 6.
After the hearing, Abraham Amaliba, the Head of Legal Affairs for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), expressed satisfaction with the decision to adjourn the case. He also supported the calls for the Attorney General to enter a Nolle prosequi in the matter.
Deputy Attorney-General, Alfred Tuah Yeboah, who did not oppose the adjournment request, expressed hope that the practice of parliament issuing excuse letters for the accused would not become a regular occurrence during the trial.
Assin North MP-elect James Gyakye Quayson is highly optimistic about a victory in the constituency no matter how many times a by-election is held in the area.
This follows his victory in the recently held by-election in the constituency.
The exercise became necessary after Parliament wrote to the Electoral Commission declaring the seat vacant.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had ruled that the Electoral Commission acted unconstitutionally in allowing Mr Quayson to contest the 2020 parliamentary election without proof of his renouncing his Canadian Citizenship.
The apex court in its ruling ordered parliament to expunge James Gyakye Quayson’s name from its records as a Member of Parliament.
It further declared that his election was unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect. His swearing-in was equally declared to be unconstitutional.
Subsequently, the Attorney General charged the former MP with forgery and perjury.
Speaking to JoyNews today, Mr Gyakye Quayson who was in court this morning for his criminal trial said the electorates within his constituency cannot be swayed by the governing New Patriotic Party.
“When it comes to the people of Assin North, nothing can break us apart. And if they (NDC) want to go for a by-election 10 times, I will win 10 times. I can assure you that.
“They are not in for money, they are in for real development and what I can say is that I am the first gentleman of Assin North now,” he stressed.
Background
Mr Quayson won the closely contested by-election with 17,245 votes representing 57.56% of valid votes.
His main rival, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party polled 12,630 or 42.15% of valid votes to place second, while the Liberal Party of Ghana’s Bernice Enam Sefanu polled only 87 votes or 0.29%.
In the 2020 Parliamentary election in Assin North, Gyakye Quayson won with 17,498 votes representing 55.21 per cent as against the then NPP candidate Abena Durowaa Mensah’s 14,193 votes representing 44.79 per cent.
A viral video circulating on social media has captured an incident from the recently concluded Assin North by-election, where an Electoral Commission (EC) official is allegedly seen accepting a bribe from a political party to influence the election results.
The video depicts a perplexed electoral official seated alongside a fellow colleague, while they are being interrogated by an individual behind the camera and a police officer. In the background, the police officer can be heard instructing the official to hand over the alleged bribe money, saying, “Bring it.” Simultaneously, the person behind the camera is heard urging the official to give the money to the police officer, stating, “You give the money to him, give it to him.”
As the situation unfolds, the electoral official reaches into his pocket, retrieves a stack of banknotes, and hands it over to the police officer. The unidentified commentator remarks, “Sit down,” after the money has been handed over to the police.
The video, shared on Twitter by GhanaWeb TV, accompanied by the caption “Things are happening in the Assin North by-election. An Electoral Commission Presiding officer who was bribed has been caught by the Police,” has generated significant attention and concern among social media users.
A user by the name of Kwaku Wisdom commented “The formula is simple, keep the voters poor, induce them with peanuts to keep us in power to continually keep them poor…and the circle never ends until the voter becomes wise.”
Watch the video below:
Things are happening in the Assin North by-election.
An Electoral Commission Presiding officer who was bribed has been caught by the Police. pic.twitter.com/UwOdY03boI
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission of Ghana officially declared James Gyakye Quayson as the Member of Parliament-elect for the Assin North constituency following the conclusion of the by-election. Quayson, who contested on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), emerged victorious with a significant margin.
According to the Electoral Commission’s announcement, James Gyakye Quayson garnered a total of 17,245 votes, representing 57.56% of the total votes cast. His closest contender, Charles Opoku of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), received 12,630 votes, accounting for 42.15% of the votes. Bernice Enyonam Sefenu of the Liberal Party Ghana (LPG) secured 87 votes, which represented 0.29% of the overall tally.
The by-election in Assin North was held to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant following a legal battle that questioned Quayson’s eligibility to hold office due to dual citizenship concerns.
The Electoral Commission (EC), has reported a significantly high voter turnout in the by-election in the Assin North Constituency.
Speaking to the media, Director of Elections,Dr. Serebuor Quaicoe said polling stations recorded over 50% voter’ turnout before midday.
“Almost all the centers I visited have clocked 50% as of now, so the turnout is very high. You could see that the people are still in the queue,” he said.
At least 41,168 voters in 99 polling centers are taking part in the election to elect an MP for the area.
The seat became vacant after the Supreme Court declared null and void, the processes that led to the election of the embattled incumbent Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, over dual citizenship issues.
Mr. Quayson, who is contesting the seat again, faces opposition from his closest contender, the New Patriotic Party’s Charles Opoku, and Bernice Enyonam Senenu of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG).
Some electorates at the Endwa Community Center, Catholic Primary School, and Asempaneye Catholic JHS polling stations, gathered at about 4:00am to participate in the voting which started at 7:00 am.
Mr. Quaicoe believes that the Electoral Commission could record one of the highest voter turnouts in recent times in any by-election which are known for recording low voter turnout.
“I wouldn’t want to project, but it seems we are going to have one of the highest voter turnout in the Assin North,” he said.
Mr. Quaicoe attributes the high voter turnout to effective campaigning adopted by political parties participating in the election, intensified police presence and patrols that assure electorates of adequate security, and media and the proactiveness of the Electoral Commission.
“That is what happens when political parties tend to do proper campaigning instead of attacking one another. If you go to the people with a good message, the people will respond.”
“I will also give some of the credit to the police because the police have flooded everywhere. So you realize that you can go about your business without any form of intimidation.”
“Also the media is working, the Electoral Commission is working” he observed.
In all, about 41,168 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots in 99 election centres.
More than 198 Biometric Verification Devices (BVD) are expected to be deployed with two at each polling centre.
Mrs Gladys Pinkrah, the Regional Director of EC in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said the EC had taken delivery of ballot papers, a notice of poll, and biometric certification devices as of Wednesday, June 21.
The Commission had commissioned training for EC officials ahead of the much-anticipated election fixed for Tuesday, June 27, for the by-election in the Assin North Constituency of the Central Region.
This followed a unanimous decision by the Supreme Court on Wednesday (May 17) declaring as unconstitutional, the election of James Gyakye Quayson as the National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament (MP) for the area.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Charles Opoku, is number one on the ballot paper, with the Liberal Party of Ghana’s (LPG) candidate, Bernice Enyonam Sefenu, occupying the second position on the ballot and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, James Gyakye Quayson, on number three.
Mrs Pinkrah urged political actors to learn from the mistakes and excesses of the past elections and make the by-election more successful.
She called on the media to uphold maximum journalistic standards, values, and ethics in the reportage of electoral processes and activities to avoid the threats that came from fake news.
Meanwhile, all participating parties, namely NPP, NDC and the LGP rounded up their campaigns on Sunday, leaving the town with an uneasy calm.
The parties have resorted to house-to-house and one-on-one campaigns to sway voters to their side.
Dr George Akuffo Dampare, the Inspector General of Police, together with the leadership of the NPP and NDC have called for peace ahead of the election.
At a news conference at Assin-Akonfodi, the IGP pledged to ensure law and order during and after the election.
The conference was attended by Mr Asiedu Nketiah, the Chairman and Mr Fiifi Fiave Kwetey, the General Secretary of the NDC, while Mr Stephen Ayensu Ntim, the National Chairman of NPP attended.
The much anticipated Assin North by-election comes off today, June 27, 2023.
Three contestants will be partaking in the elections.
The Electoral Commission (EC) last week concluded with the balloting for positions on the ballot paper for the Assin North by-election in the Central Region.
The Central Regional Director of the EC, Gladys Pinkrah, who disclosed this in an interview said balloting took place after the close of nominations at 5p.m. on Wednesday, June 14, 2023.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Charles Opoku would be the number one on the ballot paper, with the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) candidate, Bernice Enyonam Sefenu occupying the second position on the ballot and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, James Gyakye Quayson picking the third spot on the ballot paper.
Voters in the Assin North constituency are demonstrating their eagerness to exercise their democratic rights. GhanaWeb reporter present at the Methodist Primary 1 polling station in Assin Breku captured images of voters forming queues as early as 5:00 am even though polls formally open at 7:00 am.
Nimatu Yakubu reports that as early as 5:30 am, election materials had already arrived at the particular polling station, and preparations for the voting process were in full swing.
The images from the polling station depict a diverse group of individuals patiently waiting in line, eager to have their voices heard through the ballot box. The early turnout suggests a strong sense of civic duty among the residents of Assin North.
This by-election features three candidates vying for the parliamentary seat. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Charles Opoku, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, James Gyakye Quayson, and the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) candidate Bernice Enyonam Sefenu, are in a race that is believed to be between the NDC and NPP.
The election has garnered significant attention and has been closely followed by both local and national media outlets. It is seen as a crucial event that will shape the political landscape in the region.
It takes place after the expungement of the former member of Parliament James Gyakye Quayson over a dual citizenship case that went as far as the Supreme Court of Ghana.
This was agreed at a security meeting between the EC, the security and the various political parties taking part in the election.
Representing the NDC at the meeting were some national executives, including the national chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and some stalwarts such as , Kofi Totobi Quakye among others.
The NPP was equally represented by most of their national executives.
It was agreed that the police will ensure that no voter takes a photograph of their thumb printed ballot.
The by-election is slated for tomorrow, June 27,2024.
The crucial election is between former MP James Gyakye Quayson of the NDC, Charles Opoku, the candidate representing the governing NPP and one other representing the LPG.
The ousted Member of Parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson, would appear before the High Court in Accra on today, Friday, June 16, 2023, regarding the criminal accusations brought against him by government.
Quayson was recently ousted from parliament after the Supreme Court of Ghana ruled that he was ineligible to contest in the 2020 parliamentary election because he failed to renounce his Canadian citizenship in time.
But there is still one case the former MP has to face in court after the Office of the Attorney General accused him of deceiving public officers to acquire state documents.
The State, on February 12, 2022, charged James Gyakye Quayson with five counts; deceit of a public officer, forgery of a passport, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury, and false declaration.
Below are details of the charges against Quayson in the criminal suit:
Deceit of public officer, contrary to section 251(b) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29)
James Gyakye Quayson on or about the 29th of July 2019 at the Passport Office, Accra with intent to facilitate the obtaining of a Ghanaian passport, deceived the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by making a false statement that you do not have a dual citizenship, a statement which you did not have a good reason to believe to be true at the time of making it.
Forgery of passport or travel certificate, contrary to section 15(1)(b) of the Passports and Travel Certificates Act, 1967 (NLCD 155).
James Gyakye Quayson on or about the 26th of July 2019 at the Passport Office, Accra, made a false statement that you do not have a dual citizenship for the purpose of procuring a passport, a statement you knew to be untrue at the time of making it.
Knowingly making a false statutory declaration, contrary to section 5 of the Statutory Declarations Act, 1971 (Act 389).
James Gyakye Quayson on or about 6th October 2020 at Assin Fosu made a statutory declaration that you do not owe allegiance to any country other than Ghana, a statement which you knew to be false in a material particular at the time of making it.
Perjury, contrary to section 210(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
James Gyakye Quayson on or about 6th October 2020 at Assin Fosu, made a false statement on oath that you do not owe allegiance to any country other than Ghana, a statement you did not have a reason to believe to be true at the time of making it.
False declaration for office, contrary to section 248 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
James Gyakye Quayson on or about 8th October 2020 at the Electoral Commission Office, Accra, knowingly used a declaration that you do not owe allegiance to any country other than Ghana for the purpose of obtaining a public office as a Member of Parliament, a statement you knew to be material for obtaining that office.
TheElectoral Commission (EC) has announced that the District Level Election (DLE) for this year will be held on October 3, 2023.
It, however, said the date for the DLE was subject to change depending on the approval of the proposed new Constitutional Instrument (C.I) by Parliament.
The Deputy Chairman of the EC in-charge of Operations, Samuel Tettey, made this known at a forum on the 2023 DLE in Accra yesterday.
Forum
The forum, on the theme “2023 District Level Election:
Aimed at educating stakeholders about the DLE, it also discussed ways to improve voter turnout which has been at an all-time low over the years.
The DLE is to elect assembly and Unit Committee members.
Speaking at the forum, Mr Tettey said the new C.I. which was seeking to make the Ghana Card the sole document for identification for registration was yet to be laid before Parliament.
He said when approved, the new C.I would regulate continuous voter registration in the country.
“If this new C.I. goes through, the commission will undertake the continuous voter registration exercise at the district level,” he said.
Aside from that, he said some internal activities of the commission such as recruitment of staff, logistics and other election administration processes might also be a subject for the change of the date set by the commission for the DLE.
He said unlike the presidential and parliamentary elections, candidates for the DLE were not expected to pay a deposit or filing fee.
He stated that the EC would provide details of electoral processes through a series of public and voter education programmes on the DLE.
Mr. Tettey therefore called on all stakeholders to assist the EC by playing their roles to ensure the delivery of a free, fair and transparent election.
Turnout
A Local Governance Expert, Dr Eric Oduro Osae, called for the politicisation of the DLE to improve the voter turnout of the election.
He said section six of the Local Governance Act 2016(Act 936) as amended by Act 940, provided that DLE should be held every four years with an interval between the DLE and the Presidential and Parliamentary elections being at least six months apart.
He indicated that since 1988, Ghana has had eight successive local level elections to engender greater citizens’ participation in the process.
He said despite the constitutional guarantee of the right to vote, there had been gross apathy among the citizenry in local governance elections leading to low turnout.
“Turnout for DLE have been declining from 59.3 per cent in 1988/89 to 33.6 per cent in 2019 as against a national turnout of 2020 general election of about 78.89 per cent
“Apart from the 59.3 per cent turnout during the PNDC military rule we have never hit the 50 per cent turnout mark since we entered constitutional rule under civilian elected governments from 1993,” he said.
To improve voter turnout for this year’s DLE, Dr Osae recommended, among others, making the DLE election day a holiday or an add on to an existing one, amend article 55(3) and allow political parties to sponsor candidates, intensify sensitisation among citizens about the DLE and develop strategies to improve women and youth participation.
The Minister of Local Government and Rural development, Dan Botwe, in a speech read on his behalf, said the ministry would be working with the media to ensure adequate publicity on the DLE, adding that a National Media Brief would be held in Accra to kick-start the awareness creation.
He expressed the ministry’s commitment to deepen decentralisation and collaboration with stakeholders for a successful election.
The Deputy Executive Director of CLGA, Gillian Naadu Tetteh, for her part, called for an increase in the participation of women in and PWDs by supporting them to contest in the election.
To preserve the sanctity of theElectoral Commission (EC), the commission has issued a cautionary message to political parties, urging them to refrain from undermining its integrity.
He said this highlighting how essential the EC is to political parties in the organisation of internal and nationwide elections.
The Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Dr. Siribour Quaicoe, issued this warning to political parties speaking in an interview on Accra-based Joy FM’s 6 am news on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
He called on the political parties to desist from impugning the integrity of the EC and rather help build consensus in the country’s electoral processes.
Dr. Quaicoe was reacting to the main oppositionNational Democratic Congress‘s (NDC) claims that the EC was working to favour the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming by-election scheduled for Assin North Constituency in the Central Region on June 27, 2023.
He said this has always been the mode of operation of the political parties especially when in opposition.
He gave the assurance that the EC is made up of people with integrity who will not soil their integrity by favouring a particular political party in an election.
In a related development, the National Communication Officer for the opposition NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, accused the ruling NPP and the EC of plotting to insert the name of an unqualified candidate into the voters’ register for the Assin North constituency.
In a statement, the NDC’s Communication Officer claimed that the ruling party, in collaboration with the EC, plans to transfer and insert Charles Opoku’s name into the voters’ register, even though he is not a registered voter in the Assin North constituency.
He emphasised that the nomination form for the Assin North by-election requires candidates to be registered voters in that constituency.
Regulation 22 of the Public Elections Regulations 2020 (C.I 127) stipulates that voter transfers can only be made for ordinary citizens at least 42 days before a public election.
Gyamfi indicated that the Assin North by-election is less than 42 days away, and no Returning Officer has been appointed yet, so any transfer of voters to the constituency would be unlawful and vehemently opposed by the NDC.
“We are closely monitoring this situation and shall take every legitimate step to ensure that this illegal plot is not carried out by the Electoral Commission and their collaborators in the NPP,” Gyamfi stressed.
The Electoral Commission has accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of attempting to impugn its reputation with the 2020 election petition.
The EC in a statement dated June 6, 2023 cited the 2020 election petition filed by John Dramani Mahama as one of the proofs of its allegation against the NDC’s maligning.
“Over the years Sammy Gyamfi and his party have put out false claims aimed at maligning the integrity of the EC.
“This was evident in their petition to the Supreme Court after the 2020 Elections alleging that they had won the Elections. It is well known that they could not provide evidence in Court to support their allegations.
“This current allegation is no different. It is baseless and unfounded and a figment of the imagination of the National Communication Officer. We call on all well meaning Ghanaians to ignore it,” the EC statement read in part.
The statement titled “RE: ELIGIBILITY OF QUALIFIED NPP PARLIAMENTARY ASPIRANT IN THE ASSIN NORTH BY-ELECTION,” was to respond to a recent allegation that the EC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were colluding to give an NPP aspirant an advantage in upcoming by-election in Assin North.
The elections management body asked Ghanaians to ignore the ‘baseless and unfounded’ allegations of Sammy Gyamfi adding that Sammy Gyamfi should provide concrete evidence of his claims or “leave the EC alone.”
Read the EC’s full statement
RE: ELIGIBILITY OF QUALIFIED NPP PARLIAMENTARY ASPIRANT IN THE ASSIN NORTH BY-ELECTION
The attention of the Electoral Commission has been drawn to another misleading statement by the National Communication Officer of the NDC.
The Commission in its previous response to the National Communication Officer, stated that per Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution, a person qualifies to contest as a candidate for a Parliamentary Election so long as he is a registered voter, at least 21 years of age, hails from or, is a resident, or has resided in the constituency for a total of five (5) years in the last ten (10) years preceding the election he/she seeks to contest. This is the position of the 1992 Constitution which is the fundamental law of Ghana.
The National Communication Officer of the NDC in his response makes the claim that the EC only relied on the 1992 Constitution to make the case that a person need not be a registered voter in the Constituency he/she intends to stand for election. He asserts that the EC should have also relied on the CI 127 and in particular the Nomination Form contained in CI 127 before arriving at the conclusion that a person need not be a registered voter in the same Constituency he/she intends to contest.
To buttress his point, he states that the phrase ‘of the same Constituency’, on the Parliamentary Nomination Form, implies that a candidate for parliamentary election must be a registered voter in the same Constituency he/she intends to contest and that the phrase ‘of the same Constituency’ on the Nomination Form should override the Constitution. This argument is flawed.
For the benefit of the public, the Nomination Form states as follows:
“We the undersigned registered voters in ………………… Constituency do hereby nominate…………. ‘of the same Constituency’ to stand for election as a Member of Parliament, and we hereby certify that to the best of our knowledge he/she is qualified to be elected as such.”
Clearly, as stated above, the Nomination Form only requires those nominating a candidate for a parliamentary election in a Constituency to be registered voters in the same Constituency, and not the candidate who is being nominated to contest. The candidate is only required to hail from or reside in the Constituency to qualify to contest in that Constituency. If one should interpret what is stated on the Parliamentary Nomination Form to imply that the candidate must also be a registered voter in the same Constituency, that would be absurd, unreasonable, illogical, and unconstitutional to borrow some of the words of Sammy Gyamfi.
Was Sammy Gyamfi not aware of this phrase, ‘of the same Constituency’ on the Nomination Form before allowing their candidate for the Kumawu By-Election who is NOT a registered voter in Kumawu to contest for the recent By- Election?
For the information of the general public, the NDC Candidate for the recent By-Election Mr. Kwasi Amankwaa is not a registered voter in the Kumawu Constituency. He is a registered voter in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, yet he contested in the Kumawu By-Election because he hails from there. Why didn’t the NDC raise this issue ahead of the Kumawu Constituency By-Election?
The fact still remains that the allegation by Sammy Gyamfi to the effect that the EC is working with the NPP to sneak an unregistered voter into the Assin North register is FALSE. It is untrue and we call on Sammy Gyamfi to prove this.
Over the years Sammy Gyamfi and his party have put out false claims aimed at maligning the integrity of the EC. This was evident in their petition to the Supreme Court after the 2020 Elections alleging that they had won the Elections. It is well known that they could not provide evidence in Court to support their allegations. This current allegation is no different. It is baseless and unfounded and a figment of the imagination of the National Communication Officer. We call on all well meaning Ghanaians to ignore it.
Ghana’s democracy has come of age and we call on Sammy Gyamfi to exercise maturity, decorum and truth in his discussions on the EC. We urge him to go out and campaign and leave the EC alone.
As a Commission we remain committed to conducting transparent, peaceful and credible elections. We will devote our time to fulfilling our constitutional mandate, having provided the public with the truth on this matter.
The New Patriotic Party(NPP) has flatly denied being involved in the alleged scheme to fraudulently add the name of an ineligible candidate of the party to the Assin North Voters Register.
According to the NPP, it is yet to hold primaries in the Assin North Constituency to select its parliamentary candidate for the upcoming by-election. Therefore, it is unfounded for the NDC to claim that the NPP has already chosen a candidate and is conspiring with the Electoral Commission to transfer the voter.
The NPP in a statement, highlighted that both of its candidates, who have filed to contest in the by-election, meet the constitutional requirements. The party added that both candidates are registered voters and have resided in the Assin North Constituency for the minimum period of five years as required by the constitution.
“The NPP has no Parliamentary Candidate for Assin North. As publicly advertised, the Party is yet to hold Parliamentary Primaries in the Assin North Constituency to elect the Party’s Parliamentary Candidate for the by-election.3
“It therefore beggars belief how the NDC is able to determine our Parliamentary Candidate ahead of time and to suggest that we are plotting with the EC to illegally insert his name in the Assin North register.”
THE NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY IS NOT SEEKING TO TRANSFER ANY VOTER TO ASSIN NORTII VOTERS REGISTER, IGNORE THE NDC’S BASELESS CLAIMS
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has taken notice of a press statement issued by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on June 4, 2023, signed by the party’s National Communications Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, alleging that the NPP “is in cahoots with their collaborators in the Electoral Commission to transfer and insert the name of one Charles Opoku, into the Voters Register of the Assin North Constituency.
True to their character, the NDC’s statement is replete with spurious claims and baseless allegations intended to mislead the Ghanaian public and, unsurprisingly, prepare the ground for them to reject their imminent embarrassing defeat in the Assin North by-election.
For the avoidance of doubt, the NPP wishes to, by this statement. set the records straight by responding as follows:
I. The NPP emphatically debunks the allegations that the Party “is in a plot to illegally insert the name of an unqualified NPP Parliament, Candidate into the Assin North Register.
Over the years, the NPP has worked hard to maintain its enviable position as the pacesetter of multiparty democracy in Ghana, which includes the strengthening of independent democratic institutions of the State like the Electoral Commission.
As such, we cannot be the Party that would engage in any acts that would jeopardize the nation’s democratic gains.
2. The NPP has no Parliamentary Candidate for Assin North. As publicly advertised, the Party is yet to hold Parliamentary Primaries in the Assin North Constituency to elect the Party’s Parliamentary Candidate for the by-election.
It therefore beggars belief how the NDC is able to determine our Parliamentary Candidate ahead of time and to suggest that we are plotting with the EC to illegally insert his name in the Assin North register.
3. Since the NDC is deficient in their appreciation of Ghana’s electoral laws, we wish to give them some education on the relevant aspects of the Law. “Their claim that the NPP is seeking to transfer the name of a registered voter to the Assin North register to qualify him to contest in the parliamentary by-election actually’ betrays the NDC’s appreciation of Article 94(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution. Article 94(1)(a) does not require a parliamentary candidate to be registered in the constituency they wish to contest to be viable.
4. The Constitution only requires that a candidate be a registered voter, it does not matter where they are registered. The Constitution also requires a Candidate to hail from the Constituency he is seeking to contest. The two Candidates who have filed to contest on the ticket in the by-election hail from Assin North and have both resided in that Constituency beyond the minimum period of five years required by the Constitution.
5. It is in accordance with this that the Electoral Commission of Ghana only requires a Parliamentary Candidate to make a Statutory Declaration to the effect that he/she is a registered voter simplicita. This can be seen under Part IV of the Parliamentary Nominations Form -2023, which was made available by the EC for aspiring Parliamentary Candidates in the by-election.
6. Unlike them we are focused on selecting a qualified and capable candidate, one who carries no legal baggage like the NDC’s Mr. James Gyakye Quayson to represent the good people of Assin North.
7. The NPP wishes to assure Ghanaians, particularly the people of Assin North that it is committed to upholding and defending the 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission(EC) has denied allegations made by the National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi,about a supposed collusion between the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Commission.
The claims suggest an attempt to include the name of an unqualified NPP parliamentary candidate in the Assin North voters’ register.
The EC in a statement categorically denied these claims and asserted that it has not received any such request from the NPP to transfer any person’s vote.
According to the EC, Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution states that a person does not need to be a registered voter in a specific constituency to be eligible to contest an election there. Simply being a Ghanaian, 21 years or older, of sound mind, and a registered voter is sufficient.
However, if a person wishes to contest in a constituency where they do not hail from, they must be ordinarily resident there or have resided there for at least five years out of the previous ten years.
Sammy Gyamfi in a statement on Sunday said: “The National Democratic Congress has become aware of a plot by the ruling New Patriotic Party, acting in cahoots with their collaborators in the Electoral Commission to transfer and insert the name of one Charles Opoku, into the Voters Register of the Assin North constituency. This illegal move is to aid the said Charles Opoku to contest in the NPP Parliamentary primaries to select a candidate for the upcoming Assin North by-election”.
“Our unimpeachable sources have revealed that contrary to the clear requirement on the nomination form for the Assin North by-election, which demands that a candidate in the election must be a registered voter in Assin North, the said Charles Opoku is not a registered voter in the Assin North Constituency”.
But the Electoral Commission insisted that the allegations are baseless and aimed at maligning the integrity of the EC.
The EC emphasized that being a registered voter in a constituency is not a prerequisite for contesting elections there.
It reiterated its commitment to transparency, fairness, and integrity in all its operations. It asserted that the current Commission has been the most transparent and accountable, carrying out its duties in accordance with the Constitution.
The EC further criticized the NDC for continuously making unsubstantiated allegations against state institutions like them, which only serve to weaken and undermine Ghana’s democracy.
The Electoral Commission urged Ghanaians to trust in their ability to conduct credible elections and assured them that they will continue to uphold transparency and deliver fair and impartial electoral processes.
Below is the full statement by the EC
RE: NPP AND THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION IN A PLOT TO ILLEGALLY INSERT THE NAME OF AN UNQUALIFIED NPP PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE INTO THE ASSIN NORTH VOTERS’ REGISTER
The Electoral Commission’s attention has been drawn to a misleading press statement attributed to the National Communications Officer of the NDC alleging collaboration between the NPP and the EC for the purpose of transferring the vote of one Charles Opoku to the Assin North Constituency to enable him to contest the upcoming by-election in the said constituency.
We wish to state that this is not true.
For the records, the EC has not received any such request from the NPP to transfer the votes of any person. This allegation is false and a figment of the author’s imagination. As usual, it is aimed at maligning the integrity of the Electoral Commission.
Per Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution, a person does not need to be a registered voter in a particular constituency to enable him/ her to contest an election in that constituency.
Per the Constitution, simply hailing from a constituency entitles a person to contest an election in that constituency so long as the person is
A Ghanaian
Twenty-one years and above
Of sound mind
And a registered voter
In the event that a person who wishes to contest in a particular constituency does not hail from that constituency, that person will be eligible to contest if he/she is ordinarily resident in that constituency or has been a resident there for a total period of not less than five years out of the ten years immediately preceding the election for which he/she stands.
We make this point to buttress the fact that a person who hails from a constituency per the Constitution need not be a registered voter in the constituency he /she wishes to contest in. Simply hailing from there is enough.
As such there is no reason to engage in transfers as alleged by the NDC Communications Officer.
It is a well-known fact that the current Commission has been the most transparent and accountable in its operations. The Commission has carried out its mandate in strict consonance with the Constitution.
To date, the NDC has not proved a single allegation they have made against the EC.
The continuous maligning of state institutions such as the EC by the NDC only weakens and undermines our democracy.
The EC will continue to uphold transparency, fairness, and integrity in all its operations. We urge the good people of Ghana to trust us to continue to deliver credible elections.
Some roads within Assin Bereku, the district capital of Assin North, are currently being repaired, a day after the Electoral Commission (EC) scheduled a by-election for June 27 in that constituency.
Several residents of the area believe that the upcoming by-election has provided an opportunity to address the long-standing issue of neglected roads in Assin Bereku.
“We are not surprised that they are constructing the road. We will give thanks to James Gyakye Quayson for giving the sitting government pressure. When Jesus Christ died mankind benefited and that is the same way James Gyakye Quayson has done.
However, residents are raising questions about whether these developmental projects will continue beyond the by-election.
“But the question we want to ask is whether they will still continue with all the developmental projects even after the by-elections. Gyakye Quayson has said it already that he will give the NPP government pressure to do the needful, and so he deserves the needed applause.
“Our roads since 1996 have not been good, and it has not been any better till today. So if they are fixing our town roads it’s because of Gyake Quayson.”
The two main contenders for the NPP, Fredrick Amoah Kyei and Charles Opoku will be submitting their nomination forms today.
The winner of the NPP primary for the constituency will slug it out with James Gyake Quayson of the NDC for the slot to lead the constituency.
The by-election in Assin North was prompted by the Supreme Court’s ruling that led to the removal of the former Member of Parliament, Gyakye Quayson.
The court determined that he was a Canadian citizen when he contested and won the seat in 2020.
As a result, Parliament declared the Assin North seat vacant on Tuesday, May 30.
The upcoming by-election holds significant importance for the constituency and its residents.
James Gyakye Quayson will once again represent the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the incomingAssin North by-election.
In a statement, Deputy Communications Officer Godwin Ako Gunn said Mr Quayson has been a victim of a hunged Parliament, with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) doing everything possible to reduce the numbers of the NDC in Parliament.
He said “The only reason the NPP is so desperate to get a majority in Parliament is to pass the AGYAPA DEAL, the last promise left for the President’s family to own the natural resources of Ghana for a minimum of 25 years. I entreat all lovers of our democracy to support Hon. Quayson and the NDC, both in cash and in kind, to regain that seat. This support must be channelled through the proper party structure to ensure efficient deployment.
“With the Kumawu bye-election experience, we know the IMF cash will be up for spending in the Assin North Constituency. That is why all well-meaning Ghanaians must stand up to be counted in this campaign. Nana Addo has turned this nation upside down. It will take you and I to redirect the course of this nation. There can’t be any better time than this. This is a rescue mission. We must do this together – light a candle, and keep your hopes alive – because there are better days ahead.”
Parliament has informed theElectoral Commission (EC) of a vacancy in the Assin North Constituency.
A letter written to the Commission by the Clerk on Tuesday, May 30 said “In the exercise of the power conferred and the duty imposed on the Clerk to Parliament by Section 3 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (Amendment) Act 1996 (Act 527), I Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, Clerk to Parliament do hereby formally notify you of the occurrence of a vacancy in the Assin North Constituticny necessitated by the Judgement of the Supreme Court dated 17th May 2023 vide Writ No. J1/11/2022 issued in respect of James Gyakye Quayson in the case of Micaheal Ankomah Nimfah vrs James Gyakye Quayson, the Electoral Commission of Ghana and the Attorney General request you to take appropriate consequential actions as required by law.”
The Supreme Court ordered Parliament to remove the name of Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, from the records of the Legislature.
The apex court on Wednesday, May 17 unanimously ruled that the name of Gyakye Quayson, should be expunged from the records of Parliament. This was after plaintiff Michael Ankomah Nimfah filed an application early this year, seeking among others, a true and proper interpretation of Article 94(2)(a) of the 1992 Constitution.
He sought to invoke the original jurisdiction of the apex court of the land to declare the election of Mr Gyakye Quayson as unconstitutional.
Article 94(2)(a) of the 1992 Constitution states: “A person shall not be qualified to be a member of Parliament if he owes allegiance to a country other than Ghana.”
TheElectoral Commission(EC) has deemed a poll notice emerging on social media outlets purporting to be relevant to the upcoming Kumawu by-election false.
The notice, which has been widely shared purported to be an official announcement from the EC has the photos of two independent candidates, wearing kente cloth and the said candidates have the symbol of a bird.
However, the EC in a statement issued on Sunday clarified that no such notice has been issued by their office.
While categorically indicating that the story is untrue, EC urged the public to disregard it.
“For the information of the Public, both Independent Candidates presented photographs of themselves in kente and a picture of a bird as their symbol to our District Officer in Kumawu.
Based on this, a draft Notice of Poll, bearing the photograph of the Independent Candidates with similar names, attires and symbols was prepared and submitted to the Commissionfor approval.
“It was neither approved by the Commission nor gazetted. A notice of poll becomes legal and binding only after it is gazetted. The version circulating on social media was never gazetted. It was a mere draft reflecting the photographs and symbols presented to the District Officer,” parts of the statement read.
The EC further noted that it had to apply the Public Elections Regulations and assign the second independent candidate a hoe as his symbol after he refused to heed advice to change his symbol.
“When this anomaly came to the notice of the Commission, the second Independent Candidate was advised to change his symbol since he was the last to submit his Nomination Form. He refused to do so causing the Commission to apply Regulation 14(1) (b) and (c) of the Public Elections Regulations, 2020, C.I. 127.”
The EC assured the public that they are actively investigating the origin of the fake notice and will take appropriate action against those responsible for its creation and dissemination.
They also reiterated their commitment to conducting free, fair, and transparent elections in Ghana and emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.
The Commission further urged the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious or misleading information related to elections to the appropriate authorities.
As the Kumawu by-election approaches, the EC reassured voters and stakeholders that they are fully prepared to organize a smooth and credible electoral process.
It emphasised their commitment to upholding democratic principles and ensuring that the will of the people is accurately reflected through legitimate and lawful means.
The Electoral Commission (EC) has assured stakeholders of its preparedness to conduct the Kumawu by-election in the Ashanti Region.
In an interview with the Ashanti Regional Director of the EC, Benjamin Bano- Biohlast Wednesday (May 17), he stressed that the EC had made available all the materials needed for the election, with the exception of some ballot papers which were currently being printed and should be ready by today (Friday, May 19, 2023).
Training of trainees
Mr Bano-Bioh said for the past two days, the EC had engaged some returning officers in a workshop to prepare them ahead of the election.
He said beneficiaries of the two-day training programme would also train some key players including Presiding Officers, Name Reference List Officers and Ballot Issuers.
“We are well resourced and prepared for this election. Everything is in order,” he said, adding that the EC was poised to conducting a free and fair election, in ensuring that the wish of the people was realised,” he said.
According to Mr Bano-Bioh, all that political parties and candidates needed to do was to ensure that their representatives at both the voting and the collation centres were knowledgeable enough to appreciate proceedings and the outcome of the election.
Security
“As for the police we are always in touch with them. We have sent them the list of all 75 polling stations and their locations. We have also indicated areas that we think are hotspots,” Bano-Bioh stated.
Notice of Polls
Meanwhile the Notice of Poll published by the Electoral Commission ahead of the May 23 exercise indicated that there were four candidates who were contesting the by-election.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate, Ernest Yaw Anim, is the number one on the ballot paper; the National Democratic Congress candidate, Kwasi Amankwa, takes the second spot while the third and fourth positions are for two independent candidates who bear the same name.
Recall
Parliament, before adjourning sine die for the Easter holidays, notified the EC of the need to conduct a by-election in the Kumawu Constituency following the death of Philip Basoah, the NPP MP for the area.
Mr Basoah, 53, was a Member of the Seventh and Eighth Parliaments of the Fourth Republic.
Following the death of Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumawu, Philip Basoah, residents of the area will vote in a by-election on May 23, 2023, to choose a new representative.
While everything now seems set for the election, a development in the names of two out of the four candidates who have been approved by the Electoral Commissionto contest in the election has got political watchers now paying closer attention to the contest.
Prior to the announcement of the notice of poll by the EC, the contest had already generated interest as the elected candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Ernest Yaw Anim, was expected to face stiff competition in the bid of his party to retain the seat.
His closest contenders include a former member of the party in the constituency, Kwaku Duah, who chose to run independently against the deceased MP in the 2020 election.
Mr. Duah came second in the 2020 contest with a total valid vote of 11,698, representing 39.96% of the total votes, as against Mr. Basoah who won the race with 14,960 valid votes, representing 51.11% of the total votes.
Aside from having to contend with Kwaku Duah, who has also decided to contest again in the upcoming election, the NPP also has to worry about the candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Kwasi Amankwah, who some believe may be able to take advantage of the situation and grab a win, even though the Kumawu Constituency is traditionally an NPP seat.
However, in what some people believe to be a move sponsored by the ruling NPP, another candidate also bearing the name Kwaku Duah has joined the contest as an independent candidate.
Relatively unknown to the electorate until the declaration of his intent to contest in the election, some critics believe the young independent candidate, who hails from Bodomase, is being sponsored by the NPP in a clever strategy to derail the prospects of the leading independent candidate.
Per the rules of the EC, independent candidates, when it comes to their appearance on the ballot paper, only have the advantage of “first come, first serve” after the position of candidates representing registered political parties is determined.
Thus, come May 23, the two Kwaku Duahs will appear in consecutive order at the bottom of the ballot paper.
Strikingly, the new Kwaku Duah chose a dove as his symbol on the ballot paper, just like the senior Kwaku Duah.
Other candidates in the race for the Kumawu by-election are candidates of the Convention People’s Party and the Liberal People’s Party, bringing the total number of contenders to six.
A total of 1,235 delegates are scheduled to vote in the Volta region’s legislative and presidential primaries in the Ketu North constituency.
It includes 1,200 delegates from 138 branches in the constituency, 28 constituency executives and 7 former appointees.
The Electoral Commission as at 8am arranged venue for the exercise. The election is taking place at Penyi D/A basic school.
Speaking to the media, Volta Regional chairman of the party Mawutor Agbavitor said voting materials have been dispatched to the various 18 constituencies on Friday, 12 May and election is to start at 9am.
He said, the various election centres will be man by personnel from the Ghana Police Service (GPS) and no private security is allowed.
Agents of the various aspirants have arrived at the venue before 7 in the morning.
A total of 20,721 delegates are expected to participate in the presidential election and 18,695 to vote in the parliamentary race throughout the Volta region.
Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, has said that the Commission is yet to receive the National Democratic Congress’ presidential and parliamentary primaries voters database.
According to him, “The agreement was that we should have the registers and the ballot papers at least a week to the elections,” however, the NDC’s executives have failed to do so.
Currently, the scheduled date for the presidential and parliamentary primaries is at risk of being rescheduled following an injunction filed by an NDC presidential aspirant, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, who insists that the voters’ register submitted to his team contains discrepancies.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express,Dr. Serebour Quaicoe noted that till the NDC’s injunction is lifted by the court, the EC will withdraw from offering its services to the party.
He said it was to avoid such situations that the EC had urged the party to submit its voters’ register early for all challenges to be addressed timeously.
“So these things should have been made available a long time ago, because we knew that when such things are done you have people petitioning and the rest so we were thinking that if we had gotten it early enough, they would have addressed any challenges that may come out of it.
“There have been instances where we’ll go for the election and at the venue of the election the register will be brought to you and you may have to be making calls so that whilst you’re doing the election new names will be added and subtracted.
“So these things should be a lesson to the political parties that when they’re going to do anything they should [inaudible] ahead of time so that we will not be having challenges in registers…” he said.
The injunction case will be heard on Friday, a day to the scheduled May 13 election day.
Meanwhile, the NDC in a press statement has urged its party faithful and aspirants to keep calm as the party’s legal team handles the situation.
The oppositionNational Democratic Congress(NDC) is convinced that the presidential and parliamentary elections slated for May 13, 2023 will take place as planned.
This comes on the back of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) indicating that it cannot supervise the NDC’s Presidential and Parliamentary Primaries slated for Saturday May 13, 2023.
The EC says it’s unable to organize the polls because of injunction by one of the Presidential hopeful Dr. Kwabena Duffour.
The Former Finance Minister in his suit against the party says there are some discrepancies his team has identified in the party’s voters register to be used for the exercise.
According to the EC, until the legal issues are resolved it cannot be involved in the polls.
However, in a press statement signed by the General Secretary of the party, Fifi Kwetey urged the party members and the people of Ghana to remain calm as the Party, through its legal team, works to resolve the temporary challenge.
“The National Democratic Congress (NDC), further to a court action on the part of one of the presidential aspirants, wishes to assure presidential, parliamentary aspirants as well as members, supporters, and sympathizers, that the party is taking all legitimate and legal steps to pave way for the presidential and parliamentary primaries on Saturday, May 13, 2023.
“It will be recalled that Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, one of the three presidential aspirants, on Tuesday filed a suit against the party seeking to injunct the primaries,” Mr. Kwetey stated.
He continued: “While urging calm among our rank and file, we wish to assure that the party as at April 20th, 2023 had made available the full Delegates List to all presidential candidates in line with our commitment stated in our guidelines that, this Primary Document, would be furnished to all presidential candidates.
“The party is therefore confident that, this temporary challenge will be quickly overcome to pave way for the holding of the primaries on schedule.
“It is our expectation that we shall all put the larger interest of our great party ahead of all considerations, knowing that the good people of Ghana are eagerly looking up to our party, come December 7, 2024, to rescue this nation from the current national collapse.”
In order to ensure that the results of the general election are accepted by all parties, Dr. Kojo Pumpuni Asante, Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement, Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) – Ghana, has asked the Electoral Commission (EC) to foster trust among the political parties.
He said building trust in the electoral processes, extending the time frame for election, planning and increasing public access to key data results were necessary to improve the nation’s democratic governance.
Dr Asante gave the advice during a panel discussion on the 2022 Kenya and 2023 Nigeria general elections and the lessons for Ghana ahead of the 2024 General Election.
It was important for the EC to correct the growing negative perception about the institution, which was not good for the country’s democratic development, he advised.
Dr Asante referred to the numerous legal challenges faced by both the Kenyan and Nigerian electoral management bodies, saying it would be better for Ghana’s EC to ensure the timely conclusion of its legal reforms ahead of the general election.
He explained that whatever the EC needed to do should be done early and clarified so that the stakeholders would understand and appreciate their relevance.
Dr Asante also recommended the reforming of the process of appointment to the EC Board, saying that the current method did not make it transparent and inclusive.
Dr Bright Akwetey, Executive Director, Institute of Democratic Development, Ghana (IDEG), for his part, urged the EC to set a time frame and limit for political parties to campaign for general elections.
In bothKenya and Nigeria, he said, had their electoral management bodies regulating the periods and duration of political campaigns.
Ghana’s lack of such measures were not helping, he noted.
“We are told that in Kenya they do 50 days for election campaign and Nigeria does 150 days, but ours is limitless, which is not helping…. We have been pushing for a long time that we should have a campaign season and our parties should not only be about elections after elections,” he said.
He, therefore, urged the political parties not only to focus on election-related issues but innovate development-oriented policies to benefit the people.
Dr Edward Ampratwum, a representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), advised political parties to commit to dialogue, consensus building and resolving their differences with peaceful means.
They should also work with the people towards creating the desired future.
He said election was one of the major triggers of violence across the globe, having led to democratic reversals and unconstitutional changes in government, especially in Africa.
Mr Mulle Musau, Coordinator, Elections Observation Group, Kenya, stated that Ghana should have clear electoral laws, which must be adhered to by all the political parties -thus learning from both the Kenyan and Nigerian experiences.
He said the various components of the electoral processes, such as voter identification, registration and verification must be transparent and inclusive.
Ms Cynthia Mbamalu, Director of Programmes Yiaga Africa, Nigeria, emphasised that the EC should not create doubt about the electoral processes so that outcome of the elections would be accepted by all the parties.
A constitutional lawyer and former MP forKumawu, Yaw Baah, has criticized the approach utilized by Parliament to guarantee that the guarantor system becomes one of the ways in which a Ghanaian can register to vote.
He said the legislative body could not compel the Electoral Commission (EC) to include the guarantor system in the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) for continuous voter registration, which the electoral body sought to lay before the House.
He said Parliament’s suggestion that the EC should include the guarantor system in the C.I. was, at best, a recommendation, which the electoral management body was not bound by any law to follow.
“If Parliament insists that its decision for the EC to include the guarantor system is binding, then the exercise it undertook on March 31 by voting to recommend to the EC to include the guarantor system is unconstitutional.
The recommendation is an opinion by Parliament,” he said.
Mr Baah premised his argument on Article 11(7) of the 1992 Constitution, the constitutional provision on subsidiary legislation, and the Supreme Court decision in Nii Tetteh Opremreh v EC and A-G, which interprets and enforces the said provision.
In that particular case, he said, the Supreme Court — speaking through Justice Sulemana Gbadegbe — distinguished between Article 11(7), which restricts Parliament’s powers with regard to subsidiary legislation, and Article 106(6) of the Constitution which gave Parliament the power to amend any substantive legislation.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Baah — a former Chairman of the Legal, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament — said Parliament, per Article 11(7) of the 1992 Constitution, had the power to only annul subsidiary legislation, including C.I.s.
Recommendation by Parliament in respect of subsidiary legislation, he said, were only persuasive but not binding on the entity sponsoring the legislation.
In line with Article 11(7) of the 1992 Constitution, the EC is seeking to lay a C.I. before Parliament to regulate the continuous voter registration exercise.
Per Article 11(7), the C.I., which seeks, among other things, to make the Ghana Card the sole identification document for the exercise and the only means for registration when laid in Parliament, will come into force after 21 sitting days, except the House annuls it by a vote of not less than two-thirds of all Members of Parliament (MPs).
Mr Baah said in the case of Nii Tetteh Opremreh v EC and A-G, the Supreme Court — in interpreting and enforcing Article 11(7) of the Constitution — held that apart from annulment, other acts by Parliament such as amendment, variation or change in a subsidiary legislation was unconstitutional.
According to him, the insistence by Parliament for the EC to include the guarantor system before the C.I. would be considered not an annulment and, therefore, technically the House had no power to force it down the throat of the EC as that would sin against Article 11(7) of the 1992 Constitution as enforced by the Supreme Court in the case of Nii Tetteh Opremreh v EC and A-G.
“The Supreme Court has ruled that if Parliament does not take advantage of the annulment power under Article 11(7) of the 1992 Constitution, it cannot do any other thing that is binding on the body that presented the subsidiary legislation.
“The Supreme Court was emphatic that when it comes to subsidiary legislation, Parliament is only a conduit through which constitutional bodies vested with power can bring a subsidiary legislation into force,” he said. Pre-laying
As part of the pre-laying process of the C.I., the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulation, 2023, Parliament rejected the EC’s decision to make the Ghana Card the sole means for the registration.
The House unanimously recommended to the EC to include the guarantor system in the C.I. 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 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.
The House took the decision after legislators adopted the report of the Committee of the Whole on the draft C.I.
The report was signed by the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who is also the Speaker of Parliament,
Soon after the House had adopted the Committee of the Whole’s report, the Speaker said the House would now not depend on the assurances from the EC or the NIA, but “we are now making inputs into the preparation of the C.I.”. No legal effect
However, Mr Baah, who is also a former Chairman of the Judicial Committee and former Vice-Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee of Parliament, was of the view that although Parliament had a right to go through a pre-laying process for the C.I., the decision made during the pre-laying process had no legal effect.
In view of that, he said, the report of the Committee of the Whole of the House and its subsequent acceptance by the House for the EC to include the guarantor system was not binding.
“Article 11(7), as interpreted and enforced by the Supreme Court in Nii Tetteh Opremreh v EC and A-G, is the current case law governing subsidiary legislation.
Therefore, whatever exercise undertaken by Parliament in respect of unanimously agreeing for the EC to include the guarantor system was not necessary because it would not have any legal impact.
He also wondered why Parliament unanimously voted to recommend to the EC to include the guarantor system when the C.I. had not been properly laid before the House.
Mr Baah said if Parliament was not happy about the exclusion of the guarantor system from the C.I., the lawful procedure was for the House to allow the EC to lay the C.I. and then annul it by two-thirds majority as stipulated by Article 11(7) of the Constitution and interpreted in Nii Tetteh Opremreh v EC and A-G.
John Dramani Mahama, a prospective 2024 presidential contender for the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC), claims that party agents who will be taken to the National Collation Center, often known as the “strongroom” of the Electoral Commission (EC), will bring their own tea and purchase their own biscuits.
In the 2020 Presidential election petition filed by NDC’s Presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama at the Supreme Court, Rojo Mettle- Nunoo and Dr. Kpessah Whyte who were representatives of the party at the collation Center were blamed for dereliction of duty.
This was after the duo accused the Electoral Commission boss Jane Mensah of ‘tricking’ them to leave the premises to go and see Mr Mahama after which she announced the results on their blind side.
In one of the instances of cross-examination by Justin Amenuvor, the lead counsel of the Electoral Commission (EC), the former Deputy Health Minister Rojo Mettle- Nunoo said “I was offered tea, I wasn’t offered any biscuit” while he waited for the Electoral Commissioner for clarity on some anomaly observed in some of the results.
The Supreme Court stated in its verdict that Rojo Mettle -Nuno and Dr. Kpessah Whyte both second and third witnesses respectively for the petitioner John Mahama should rather blame themselves for leaving the National Collation Centre, that, they did not do their job of strict observation of the collation process therefore must accept the consequences.
Addressing delegates of the NDC at Ashaley Botwe in Greater Accra Region, on Tuesday as part of nationwide campaign tour ahead of the NDC’s Presidential Primaries, John Mahama said the party is going to be extra vigilant in 2024 election adding [on lighter note ] that, the party’s representatives at the strongroom will be provided their own tea and biscuits.
“We are not going to sleep. We are going to match them at the collation centers. We will be in the collation centers until the last ballot is accounted for. e are going to Match them in the EC’s strongroom. This time we don’t want tea we don’t want biscuit. Those we select to go to the strongroom we will give them our own tea and we will buy them digestive Biscuits to go to the strongroom”.
Mr. Mahama strongly stated that packing EC with activists of the ruling New Patriotic Party will not deter the NDC’s resolve to police the election results.
“Because they are afraid of losing the 2024 election they have started putting NPP activists as members of the Electoral Commission so that they can control the referee but when I say it is a Do or Die affair it means that it is a critical election whether they put NPP chairman on the electoral commission we shall match them boot for boot. We are going to match them at the polling stations we don’t Wana cheat anybody, but we don’t want anybody to cheat us. So we are going to mark them at the polling station and make sure that no extra ballot papers come from somewhere into that ballot box”.
Mr. Mahama charged branch and constituency executives of the NDC to actively get involved in the electoral processes in their respective polling stations and be very vigilant .
“Elections are won or lost at the polling stations..and in all your branches you have polling station. Vigilance at the polling stations is going to be in your custody. Campaigning in the polling station is going to be in your care and so we are going to rely on you to make sure that the election in your polling station is going to be free, fair and transparent. And we are putting in a robust system to be able to transmit out results and you the branch and constituency executives are going to be involved. It is a new system we will come and explain it to you”
The by-election for theKumawu constituencywill take place on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, according to the Electoral Commission (EC).
The Kumawu seat became vacant following the death of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituencyPhilip Basoah.
The EC revealed in a release that nominations will be received at the Setwere Kumawu District Office of the Commission from 2nd May 2023 to 5th May 2023 between the hours of 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm on each day.
Pratt asserts that no civilized country in the world engages in such appointments since they compromise the EC’s neutrality and the democratic nature of the country.
He added that the role of the electoral commission is to oversee the conduct of free and fair elections, and it is crucial for the commission to remain impartial and independent of any political affiliations.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on April 12, 2023, he lamented: “From a low of 49%, we have now arrived at 10% public confidence in the EC.
“We should be worried…from 49% to 10% public confidence in the EC and this 10% public confidence in the EC was recorded before the appointment of Appiahene and co…everybody who is honest and sincere will have a problem with this appointment.
“…I am frightened, I’m really frightened. At a time when public confidence in the EC has dropped to 10%, this is the appointment we have made.
“This guy (Dr. Peter Appiahene) I don’t see how in any civilized country which is trying to practice democracy in any part of the world, a man like this will be appointed to the electoral commission, I don’t see how.
“But this one, we have gone a step further, …a card-bearing professor, swearing in as a member of the electoral commission. So, it gives more meaning to the threats of not handing over under any circumstance.
“Just imagine that Koku Anyidohu was appointed under former president Mills as an electoral commission member, or just imagine that under John Mahama, Allotey Jacobs was appointed unto the EC, just imagine. What do you think would have happened? How can we do this?” he lamented.
Kwesi Pratt added that the appointment of Dr. Peter Appiahene to the commission can lead to conflicts of interest and compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
He further argued that such appointments are a clear violation of democratic principles and can damage the credibility of the election results.
“If there is an election dispute and this gentleman is sitting on the electoral commission, how are we going to resolve it?
“So, when you listen to this gentleman who has just been appointed unto the electoral commission and you get a leading Member of the government, in fact, a cabinet minister says that we would never hand over power to the NDC, what conclusion comes to mind after listening to this gentleman?”
The veteran journalist’s remarks come amidst growing concerns over the appointment of a pro-NPP member, Dr. Peter Appiahene to the electoral commission.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo recently swore in three new members of the Electoral Commission (EC).
The three are Dr. Peter Appiahene, Madam Salima Ahmed Tijani, and Reverend Akua Ofori Boateng.
They took office at a short Jubilee House ceremony on Monday, March 20, 2023.
The appointments have, however, seen some criticisms by some factions in the public with members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) accusing President Akufo-Addo of packing the commission with members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Chairman for the New Patriotic Party(NPP) in the Bono Region, Kwame Baffoe popularly known as Abronye DC has vowed not to ever talk to Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa AKufo-Addo.
He says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been unfair to him throughout his administration and for that reason, he has decided to sever ties with the President.
What broke the camel’s back according to Abronye was the fact that he applied for the vacant Electoral Commission job but the President failed to give him the appointment with the excuse that he did not want to appoint a known party member.
“There is nowhere in Ghana’s constitution which says people appointed to the Electoral Commission should not be Ghanaians. There is nowhere in the constitution which says people appointed to the Electoral Commission should not be members of the NPP, NDC, CPP. So far as you are a Ghanaian, you are worthy of working at the electoral commission.
The NDC that is up in arms over the recent appointments also did the same when they had power. They appointed Hajia Sadatu Maida who recently retired from the Commission and was the daughter of a known NDC man.
“I realized she will be retiring so I wrote to the President in 2022 to put me there when she leaves but the President told me he cannot do that. He said he will not appoint a known NPP man to the position. I have decided I will never talk to Nana Addo again. I will never talk to him until he leaves power,” Abronye is on record to have said.
Abronye believes that he has all it takes and would have been a great appointment for the Electoral Commission if the President had appointed him for the position that became vacant.
“I could have done the job because I have experience with elections in Ghana. I don’t know the guy he had appointed and I don’t have a problem with that but my fight is that I am saddened by the President’s failure to appoint me and I will never talk to him again,” he said in an interview.
A violent husband who forced his expectant wife off Edinburgh’s Arthur’s Seat only days before she intended to leave him was sentenced to life in prison.
In September 2021, Fawziyah Javed, 31, and their unborn child were assassinated near the landmark in the Scottish capital by Kashif Anwar, 29.
Ms. Javed, an employment lawyer who was around 17 weeks pregnant when she fell 50 feet, used her final words to accuse Anwar of pushing her in front of another walker.
Daniyah Rafique, 24, managed to reach her as she lay dying on the hillside and was told: ‘Don’t let my husband near me, he pushed me.’
PC Rhiannon Clutton, 35, who rushed to the scene, said she was told by Ms Javed her husband pushed her because she ‘told him I wanted to end (the marriage)’.
Anwar, from Leeds, was convicted of murder following a week-long trial at the city’s High Court.
The judge, Lord Beckett, handed him a life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years.
As he was led down to the cells, one of Ms Javed’s relatives screamed from the public gallery: ‘Die, you bastard.’
Kashif Anwar was convicted at the High Court in Edinburgh (Picture: Police Scotland)
Jurors were visibly upset after the result, some crying, and the judge thanked them for the ‘admirable way’ they performed their duties.
In a statement read on behalf of the Javed family outside court, they said: ‘Our life sentence began the day that our daughter was brutally murdered.
‘Whilst we welcome the verdict, this outcome does not feel like justice when compared to what we have lost.’
Ms Javed’s mother, Nighat Yasmin Javed, said: ‘There are just no words to describe the depth of pain and grief.
‘There’s no words in the English dictionary that go deep enough.’
She had told jurors her daughter first met Anwar at an opticians in Leeds city centre, near their home in Pudsey, where he worked as an optical assistant.
The couple had an Islamic wedding on December 25, 2020, but the court concerns were raised within months.
Mrs Javed told advocate depute Alex Prentice KC she was ‘very worried’ about her daughter, and revealed they had a secret code word she could use if she was ever unsafe.
She said: ‘I said if you feel that you are in danger, just text me “I like cream cakes”, and I will contact the police.’
Mrs Javed explained this was because of the ‘abuse, the violence, the aggression, and coercive control’ in the relationship.
She said her daughter’s calls and texts were monitored by Anwar, and that between three or four months after the wedding her daughter wanted out of the marriage.
Mrs Javed told the jury: ‘The accused was being abusive, controlling, manipulative, aggressive and violent towards her. She didn’t want to stay in a marriage like that, she wanted to leave.’
The court heard how a midwife spoke to Ms Javed after becoming worried about the way Anwar spoke to her at Leeds General Infirmary weeks before the murder.
Elizabeth Petty, 41, who was working on the L44 ward that evening, said a patient told her Ms Javed was told: ‘If you died during childbirth that would be okay. I would be free.’
The midwife told the jury that when asked if that was what was said, Ms Javed had confirmed it was, and that she appeared ‘scared’ and ‘upset’.
A week later, on August 30, 2021, a Walima– a Muslim marriage celebration event – was held for the couple.
One of the guests, Lubna Qasim, told jurors Anwar was ‘really keen on visiting Arthur’s Seat.
But Ms Qasim said her friend Ms Javed was scared of heights and had looked her straight in the eyes and replied: ‘I’m not so sure.’
The couple checked into a hotel in Edinburgh the following day.
They were due to return to Yorkshire on September 4, which would have been Ms Javed’s 32nd birthday.
But jurors heard she planned not to return to Anwar’s home but go to her parents’ house and contact police to retrieve her belongings.
She was pushed to her death from the landmark in Holyrood Park on September 2.
CCTV showed the couple walking arm-in-arm through Waverley railway station towards Arthur’s Seat.
A selfie of the pair was taken on Ms Javed’s phone at about 8.30pm – the last picture of her alive.
Firefighter Sean Stratford was one of the emergency responders dispatched to the scene just after 9pm.
He said he was approached by a man, who he could not identify: ‘He said that he stood up to take a selfie, he slipped and bumped her and she had fallen.
‘She was not in a very good state at all.’ Ms Javed was declared dead on the hillside at 10.18pm.
In the early hours of the next morning, PC Sean Henderson, 37, said Anwar was told of the news.
He told jurors: ‘There wasn’t much of a reaction, in my opinion, he didn’t say much to it and didn’t have any obvious physical reaction.’
Anwar told PC Henderson: ‘I know how this looks. We had our problems as a couple, but … ”
The court was told Anwar never finished what he was saying as more officers entered the room and he was arrested on suspicion of murder.
PC Henderson told the court: ‘From start to near finish, he was very calm and composed throughout. I was actually struck how calm his demeanour was throughout.’
Detective Constable Steven Cavallero told the court when Anwar was in custody he asked: ‘How many years do you think I will get? Double figures? Maybe 15 to 20 years you reckon?
Former Auditor General, Dnaiel Yao Domelevo has stated that the failure of some law enforcement mechanisms in Ghana can be attributed to the possibility of criminals financing the ambitions of some leaders.
Speaking in an interview on TV3, the former Auditor General said some leaders are unable to enforce laws as per their mandate due to them being influenced and controlled by financiers.
“These are people who know that if a right-thinking and upright party leadership is in place they may not have room to operate.
“Because illegal mining should not be allowed, there are some types of trades that should not be allowed, so, the best thing for them to do is to invest in who becomes the head of the country. That is the reason why at times it beats, you and I our minds, why some laws cannot be enforced,” Daniel Domelevo shared.
He, therefore, called on theElectoral Commission to sit up and ensure that the criminals are not elected into leadership positions.
“It is because we don’t know who pays the piper and you know the one who pays the piper is the one who calls the tune. So, that is how dangerous it is and the earlier the Electoral Commission wakes up, the better it is for us. Otherwise, we may have criminals, people who we will like to run away from rather will getting leadership in place.
“The leaders themselves may not be criminals but immediately they are funded by these (people) they are within their control,” the former Auditor General indicated.
There have calls for Ghana’s laws to be reviewed for stiff political funding regulations. This follows growing public concerns about the sources of funding for political parties who remain exposed to external influence after winning power due the weakness in existing funding laws.
A seventeen-member executive board has been established by the Ghana United Nations Association (GUNA), a civil society non-governmental organization, to help manage Association operations throughout the course of the next four years.
The new executive-body was elected at its 44th annual congress in an election which was supervised by officials from the La Dadekotopon Electoral Commission(EC).
This year’s congress was on the theme: Partnership for Development
The newly elected executive body encompasses a secretariat staff which includes; Ambassador Nathan Rudolf as Secretary-General, Selaasie Lhal Hiadzi (Director of Administration), Anthony Amankwah (Director of Programmes), Nasir Abdalla Kassim (Director of International Affairs) and Bishop John Kwaku Asante (Director of Protocol).
Also the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Association are Rev Chris Pardie (National President) Dr. Samuel Kodzo Senyoh, Vice President and Meriga Antaru (2nd Vice President).
The rest are Charles Nkrumah (National Organising Secretary), Mary Pokua Yankey (National Treasurer/Financial Secretary), Francis Ntijah (Secretary for Peace and Security), Razak Timbilla (Secretary for Governmental Affairs), and Reverend Fred Anyasor-Nartey (Secretary for Media and Publicity).
Others include, Ambassador Samuel Bamidele Temitope Ojo, (National President for Youth Affairs) and Albert Forson (Secretary for Research and Education).
Meanwhile, Monika Elizabeth Anderson, Judith Donkor, Vitus Azeem, Alhaji Faisal Youssif, Emmanuel Zonyrah and Alhaji Adams also took up the role of Board of Directors.
Addressing members of the Association, National President of GUNA, Reverend Chris Pardie, revealed that the Association in the coming days will step up its presence in second circle institutions, deepen bilateral relations with its international partners as well as take stance on salient national issues affecting Ghana in a non-partisan manner.
He expressed optimism that the new executive will work effectively and efficiently to ensure the full realization of its mission and vision.
He added that an action planned will also be well coordinated to ensure that the Association is well structured in all 16 various regions across the country.
About GUNA
Ghana United Nations Association, GUNA, is an ally association of the United Nations Organization which plays civil roles focusing extensively on helping to achieve improved and sustainable development within the ambit of the 17 MDGs.
As part of the formalization process, GUNA annuls the existing membership card by issuing a uniquely new membership card to members as well as instituting a more involving and comprehensive process of admitting fresh members.
For the first time ever, on May 4, everybody wishing to cast a ballot must bring a form of picture identification.
However, not all forms of identification will be accepted, and those without the proper documentation must apply for a special certificate by April 25. Meanwhile, the registration deadline for voters is April 17.
A blue badge and an older person’s bus pass are additional acceptable pieces of identification, in addition to a passport and a driver’s license.
But travelcards for younger people are not accepted.
Compulsory photo ID will ‘protect the integrity of democracy in the UK’ and ‘ensure the electoral system remains secure, transparent and fair for generations to come’, the Government said when the proposals became law last April.
Postal voting is not affected by the new rules.
The Electoral Commission’s Craig Westwood said: ‘It is important that everyone makes sure they have an accepted form of ID if they intend to vote at a polling station. Postal voting is not affected by the new ID requirement.’
Campaign groups the Electoral Reform Society and Unlock Democracy, along with London mayor Sadiq Khan, previously warned that as many as two million people in Britain do not currently have the right form of ID to vote.
An average of 922 applications per day for a Voter Authority Certificate were made online in England in the week of April 2, up from 803 the previous week, according to PA analysis of Government data.
A total of 36,089 applications have been submitted online in England since February 1.
Next month will see more than 8,000 council seats up for grabs across 230 local authorities, ranging from small rural councils to some of the largest towns and cities.
Polls are also taking place to choose mayors in Bedford, Leicester, Mansfield and Middlesbrough.
No elections are scheduled in London, Birmingham, Cornwall, North Yorkshire or Cumbria.
Rishi Sunak will be hoping to keep Conservative losses to a minimum, in what is his first big electoral test as prime minister.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey will be judged on whether their parties are able to make gains at the expense of the Tories.
No elections are taking place in Scotland and Wales this year.
Local elections in Northern Ireland have been put back two weeks to May 18, to avoid a clash with the King’s coronation on May 6.
Counting in Northern Ireland usually takes a couple of days to complete, due to the system of voting used for council elections, which sees voters rank candidates in order of preference.
Photo ID became law in Northern Ireland in 2002.
Accepted forms of photo ID
Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country
Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (this includes a provisional driving licence)
A Blue Badge
Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the Government of the United Kingdom
Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the Government of the United Kingdom
Oyster 60+ Card funded by the Government of the United Kingdom
Freedom Pass
Scottish National Entitlement Card
60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
Biometric immigration document
Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
National identity card issued by an EEA state
Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
Voter Authority Certificate
Anonymous Elector’s Document
You will only need to show one form of photo ID. It needs to be the original version and not a photocopy.
The new Electoral Commission‘s Constitutional Instrument (CI) which intends to make the Ghana Card the only document for continuous voter registration in the country has been rejected by Parliament.
The House has rejected the move by the Electoral Commission (EC) to make the Ghana Card the only document for continuous voter registration in the country.
Parliament has also maintained that the guarantor system which is a means of getting an eligible voter with the required document registered must also be maintained.
A report of the Committee of the Whole also objected the EC’s move to limit continuous registration exercises to the regional, district capitals and offices determined by the commission.
Former President John Mahama has stated that the new Constitutional Instrument (CI) being proposed by the Electoral Commission (EC) will leave many Ghanaians disenfranchised.
He says more than two million eligible voters will be disenfranchised in the 2024 elections, per the Electoral Commission’s (EC) proposal to scrap the guarantor system when acquiring a voter identification card.
Speaking at Kasoa as part of his three-day campaign tour of the Central Region, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer aspirant said “Up till now many people have not been able to register for the Ghana Card and those who have registered are yet to receive their cards”, he observed and asked all to endeavour to acquire the cards.
The EC has proposed a new Constitutional Instrument (CI) to be passed by Parliament to scrap the use of passport or guarantor system and allow only the Ghana Card for the acquisition of the new voter ID to be used in the 2024 general elections.
According to Mr Mahama, the NDC has consistently cautioned the EC to exercise restraint for the National Identification Authority (NIA) to provide the Ghana Cards for those who have already registered, but all these have fallen on deaf ears.
“We are still telling the EC that if they should go ahead with the proposal, they are going to disenfranchise a whole number of Ghanaians, and the estimate is that about two million people are eligible but do not have their cards.”
He therefore urged party supporters and Ghanaians who were yet to receive their cards to follow up at the NIA offices to ensure their cards were retrieved.
Mr Mahama said the old CI allows for a guarantor system and that was the position of the NDC.
One of life’s most humbling moments, according to a recently inducted member of the Electoral Commission (EC), was when she went through a divorce and realized how important it was to focus on her relationship with God.
Rev. Akua Ofori Boateng is also the first Female Programme Director of the Anglican Diocese.
Speaking on Joy Prime’s Prime Morning, she indicated that even though she used to go to church growing up, she was never deeply involved in church activities and the things of God.
“Actually what brought me to the place of really paying attention to God was that I went through a divorce. I used to be a regular church goer, I drive my mother to church, hang out outside, when it’s time for communion, I go inside and take communion, come back outside,” she said.
“I didn’t belong to Scriptural Union (SU), I wasn’t a server, I was nothing, I remember when I went to seminary and we were introducing ourselves, everybody was a youth pastor, you know people were in the church, me I’m a member of my church, I pay dues and that’s it.”
Rev. Ofori Boateng explained that she was very fortunate to have relatively comfortable parents who took care of her very well and caused her to have a smooth life until things started to take a turn.
According to her, going through a divorce, becoming a single parent and even losing her job along the way made her feel as if her life had hit a wall.
“But it just brought me to a point of asking myself, what am I doing? I lived a pretty comfortable life, I went to GIS, went to university, got a job, you know everything followed for me so this was new like whoa, my life is supposed to go well so that really brought me to what people term as “a come to Jesus moment” where you’re really asking yourself, where do we go from here,”
“But I think that’s how God works with us, in that he brings us to a full stop, where I literally hit a wall, went through a divorce, lost my job, everything went bad,” she said on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.
The Anglican Priest also said that when the time is right and if it pleases God, she would give love another chance.
Rev. Akua Ofori Boateng is one of the three members of the Electoral Commission sworn into office by President Akufo-Addo. The other two are Dr. Peter Appiahene and Salima Ahmed Tijani.
The Induction took place on Monday, March 20, 2023 at the Jubilee House.
Member of the Minority Group in Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has announced the possibility of the caucus rejecting the budgetary allocation made to the Electoral Commission (EC) over the recent appointment made by the president.
The North Tongu MP in a Facebook post on Thursday asked Ghanaians whether it would be morally right for the Minority to shortchange the Commission over the appointment of Dr. Peter Appiahene, who is alleged to be a New Patriotic Party (NPP) faithful.
“With Prez Akufo-Addo’s unpatriotic & extremely reckless determination to convert Ghana’s Electoral Commission into an NPP HQ annex, would NDC MPs in Parliament be wrong in refusing to approve the budget of the EC until TESCON Patron Dr. Peter Appiahene is dropped? Your thoughts, please,” Mr Ablakwa wrote.
TESCON (Tertiary Students Confederacy) is the student wing of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) of Ghana that is instrumental in the party’s student and grass-root engagement and mobilisation.
Mr. Ablakwa felt it necessary to ask this question because the government has allocated an amount of GH¢386,047,606 to the Electoral Commission to be spent in 2023, which is yet to be approved by parliament.
The money, according to the 2023 budget statement, is to be used for compensation of employees, purchasing of goods and offering services, as well as upgrading or maintaining physical assets (CAPEX).
Background
President Akufo-Addo inaugurated the Electoral Commission’s new members on Monday, March 20, 2023.
Among the newly appointed commissioners are Dr. Appiahene, a TESCON patron, Salima Ahmed Tijani, and Rev. Akua Ofori Boateng.
While the government praised the new appointments as a move towards strengthening the Commission’s capacity, the minority has expressed concerns about the EC’s integrity.
Following the ceremony, pictures and videos implicating Dr Peter Appiahene of being involved in partisan politics emerged.
He is reported to be actively engaged in TESCON activities at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).
Dr. Peter Appiahene, whom Akufo-Addo has appointed to the Electoral Commission with two others is a card-bearing @NPP_GH juggernaut. Its a plan!
He’s TESCON-UENR Patron, was once among considerables for Bono Regional Minister & had represented the NPP on several political shows. pic.twitter.com/1VzH6TeQN2
This revelation has infuriated members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) who assert that the president is working to turn the Electoral Commission into an annex of the ruling party.
Director of the NDC’s International Relations Directorate, Alexander Segbefia, stated that Ghana’s democracy hangs in the balance as the government is allegedly working to alter the decisions made by Ghanaians when they exercise their franchise.
“It is clear that in a situation like this, it’s imperative that partisan colours for certain positions in this country should not be or cannot be overtly shown to have been demonstrated in the past because it means that on every decision that person is involved in, it will be scrutinised 10, 15, 20 times more than it should be, because there is already a fear and a belief that that person doesn’t approach it in a fair manner or a neutral position.
“And that, whether right or wrong, is the perception that is created, by allowing somebody who is clearly very overtly partisan but is coming into the position of a referee to actually hold such an office. I think it’s so obvious that I don’t know why it keeps being done.
“It has the ability to threaten our very democracy, elections in Africa are some of the most tense periods in the democratic dispensation of countries and any step that you take that is going to heighten that tension is not advisable within the African context,” he told JoyNews.
On the matter, former President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to amend Article 43(2) of the 1992 Constitution to provide Parliament with power to approve new commissioners.
“Of course, the appointments of known party activists onto the Electoral Commission by our current President may require an amendment of Article 43(2), to provide for parliamentary approval of new Commissioners to the Commission. Let me assure you once again, I remain committed to these reforms,” he said.
He made the statement at the launch of his JM 2024 Campaign fundraising app at UPSA on Wednesday, March 22, 2022.
Article 43(2) of the 1992 constitution states that “ The members of the Commission shall be appointed by the President under article 70 of this Constitution.”
A recently-appointed member of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Rev Akua Ofori Boateng, has recounted how the collapse of her marriage drew her closer to God.
Providing an account of her spiritual journey with God, she disclosed that despite being a Christian and regularly attending church, she did not truly fall in love with church activities and “God’s things” until she went through a divorce, which caused her to place greater emphasis on her relationship with Christ.
Speaking in an interview with Joy Prime, on March 22, 2023, Rev. Ofori Boateng, the first female programme director of the Anglican Diocese, stressed that she felt as though her life had come to an end after going through the divorce, becoming a single parent, and even losing her job.
“Actually, what brought me to the place of really paying attention to God was that I went through a divorce. I used to be a regular churchgoer, I drive my mother to church, and hang out outside, when it’s time for communion, I go inside and take communion, come back outside.
“I didn’t belong to Scriptural Union (SU), I wasn’t a server, I was nothing, I remember when I went to seminary and we were introducing ourselves, everybody was a youth pastor, you know people were in the church, me I’m a member of my church, I pay dues and that’s it,” she said.
She explained that she would love to give love another chance when the time is right.
Rev Akua Ofori Boateng was one of the three new members of the Electoral Commission sworn into office by President Akufo-Addo. The other two are Dr. Peter Appiahene and Salima Ahmed Tijani.
Their induction took place on Monday, March 20, 2023 at the Jubilee House.
Akufo-Addo appoints NPP man, two others as EC commissioners
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday (March 20) swore in three new Electoral Commissioners at the Jubilee House in a brief ceremony.
The three were: Dr. Peter Appiahene, Salima Ahmed Tijani and Rev Akua Ofori Boateng.
Out of the three, the appointment of Dr. Appiahene in particular has drawn a lot of political controversy.
This is because of his known role as a patron of the New Patriotic Party’s tertiary institutions wing, TESCON, specifically the University of Energy and Natural Resources branch.
Some Civil Society Organizations including the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) Ghana, have expressed misgivings over the appointment of Dr. Appiahene calling on the president to withdraw his appointment.
In his comments on the appointment, Bright Simons of Imani Ghana tweeted: “Seeing how Ghana’s Electoral Commission is always on the defensive about being totally independent & professional, I expect the top bosses to inform the Prez that they’d rather resign than work with partisan activists as that’ll sully the EC’s reputation!”
Political Parties Outside Parliament (PPOP), a coalition of parties without representation in the legislature, has called on the government to release funds to the National Identification Authority (NIA) to enable it deliver on its mandate of ensuring that all qualified Ghanaians have the National Identification Card also known as the Ghana Card.
This, they said, would help facilitate using the Ghana Card as the sole document for identification for the continuous voters’ registration in the country.
PPOP
The parties made the call at a press conference held in Accra yesterday to state their position on the proposed Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) of the Electoral Commission (EC) seeking to make the Ghana Card the sole document for continuous voter registration.
The political parties that make up the PPOP are the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), National Democratic Party (NDP), People’s National Convention (PNC) and the All People’s Congress (APC).
The General Secretary of the GCPP, Citizen Ato Dadzie, who read the statement on behalf of the parties, also called on Parliament to ensure that the new C.I. was laid to help guarantee the integrity and credibility of the voters’ register and reduce the chaos at registration centres.
He said the new C.I. that seeks to make the Ghana Card the sole form of identification for prospective voters would help cure the issue of foreigners and minors getting onto the electoral roll.
“A country cannot be truly democratic until its citizens, not foreigners, have the opportunity to choose their representatives through elections that are free and fair,” he stated.
“In every election, modalities are set out to ensure a level playing field and also set the tone for credible and transparent processes that will end in an acceptable result by stakeholders. This we do even in our internal political party elections,” Mr Dadzie stated.
Consensus building
Mr Dadzie said discussions for a new C.I. to make the Ghana Card the sole document for identification for voter registration started about two years ago in October 2021, involving all stakeholders made up of political parties and civil society organisations.
He said it was resolved after almost a year of deliberations and series of meetings to accept to use the Ghana Card as evidence of identification for anyone who applies for registration as a voter.
He therefore described, as untrue statements made in a press conference by the Minority Caucus in Parliament to the effect that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was not invited to the series of meetings to discuss the proposed C.I.
Mr Dadzie, therefore, dared the NDC to tell Ghanaians how the use of the Ghana Card as a source document to register as a new voter could be rigging machinery, saying the same EC the party was discrediting conducted the recently ended elections of their national officers and would also conduct and supervise their election of presidential and parliamentary candidates.
“Ghana has come a long way with her democracy and has attained enviable achievements in the sub-region and across the globe. We should, therefore, not allow baseless suspicions to ruin the successes we have chalked over the years,” he said.
A former chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, has questioned the commission’s decision to abandon the guarantor system for the ongoing voter registration process.
He stated that the EC’s assertion that the guarantor system was ineffective and the Ghana Card should be the exclusive method of registration was unpersuasive.
According to Dr Afari-Gyan, as far as the National Identification Authority (NIA) allowed the guarantor regime in the registration for the Ghana Card, nothing prevented the EC from doing the same for the voter registration exercise and making that system more robust as it wanted it.
“What prevents the commission from instituting, in the upcoming constitutional instrument (CI), a guarantor regime as robust as or even more robust than the one being used by the NIA for doing the Ghana Card?” he queried.
Guarantor system
In line with Article 11 (7) of the 1992 Constitution, the EC is seeking to lay a CI before Parliament to regulate the continuous voter registration exercise.
Per the article, the CI, which seeks, among other things, to make the Ghana Card the sole identification document for the exercise and the only means for registration, when laid in Parliament, will come into force after 21 sitting days, except the house annuls it by a vote of not less than two-thirds of all Members of Parliament (MPs).
Last month, the Chairperson of the EC, Jean Adukwei Mensa, told Parliament, as part of the pre-laying of the CI, that the Ghana Card as the sole registration document would ensure that only eligible Ghanaians registered as voters.
Such a move, she said, would give the country a credible voter roll and enhance its electoral process.
The EC boss said her outfit jettisoned the guarantor system because it was susceptible to abuse, which affected the credibility of the electoral roll.
“The challenges with the guarantor system are that it opens the door for registered voters or guarantor contractors to guarantee/vouch for persons who are less than 18 years and it allows the guarantors to vouch for foreigners. Such unqualified persons used the door of the guarantor system to try to get onto the register.
“Truth be told, the guarantor system was not the best under any circumstances, but we did not have other options, since a significant number of people did not possess the Ghana Card at the time. Even, then, we had 10 million Ghanaians using the Ghana Card to back their citizenship at the time of registration,” she said.
Criticisms
Dr Afari-Gyan is not the only person to criticise the EC over the proposed CI.
The CI has faced a backlash from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), a civil society organisation, especially concerning the decision by the EC to throw away the guarantor system, which hitherto allowed a registered voter to vouch for the citizenship of another person seeking to register.
The NDC has described the CI as “obnoxious and a threat to the country’s democracy” and directed its MPs not to absent themselves from Parliament to enhance the fight against the proposed law.
For the CDD, the elimination of the guarantor system would make it very difficult for many Ghanaians to register and that would, ultimately, infringe on their constitutional right to vote.
“The current CI 126 allows for a guarantor to guarantee for up to five people; this can be reduced to three,” it said.
Citizenship
Dr Afari-Gyan, who is the longest-serving Chairperson in the history of the EC, further reiterated his criticism of the use of the Ghana Card as the sole source document for the registration exercise.
In a previous statement to the Daily Graphic in August last year, he had said making the Ghana Card the sole identification document would disenfranchise millions of qualified Ghanaians and as such the move by the EC was against electoral inclusivity, fairness and justice.
In his new critique, he said he was not against the use of the Ghana Card and did not also disagree with the EC that the Ghana Card was of great importance and would go a long way to sanitise the electoral roll
“I think that it is grossly unfair and misleading to try to create the impression that the debate over whether or not, as of now, the Ghana Card should be the only basis for a Ghanaian citizen to be registered as a voter revolves wholly around how useful the card is. I have not heard anybody saying that the Ghana Card is not a good thing to have or use,” he said.
According to him, his disagreement was because the EC was gradually making the Ghana Card the only means of citizenship, which is the criterion for one to register as a voter.
It was his contention that the Ghana Card did not bestow citizenship on anyone but rather validated that citizenship; therefore, making the Ghana Card the sole means of registration meant the EC was trying to define those without the card as not citizens of Ghana eligible to vote.
“In my view, as of now, it cannot be reasonably assumed that every Ghanaian of voting age has the Ghana Card, or can get one well ahead of the next elections,” he said.
“In fact, given that even under continuous registration there is a cut-off period, during which time one can register as a voter but cannot vote in the following election, I think it is far too early yet to make a fetish of Ghana Card as the only basis for registering a Ghanaian citizen as a voter,” Dr Afari-Gyan averred.
An outspoken member of parliament for Assin Central and candidate for the party’s presidential nomination, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, has criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for choosing to adopt the Ghana Card as the only form of identification for registration in the general elections of 2024.
The new Constitutional Instrument (CI) seeks to see the elimination of the guarantor system for all first-time registrants to the country’s electoral register.
But the MP in a media interview on a local radio station, Sompa FM, in Kumasi, indicated that the new CI laid in Parliament by the Electoral Commission is “bogus”.
He maintains that it makes no sense that the Ghana Cardwould suddenly be raised above the Ghana Passport in determining the identity of citizens.
‘’I am against it. Ghana has people taking bogus decisions. We have a whole Ghana passport, but you (EC) claim that to register to vote you can’t use it to register as a voter. What makes me know that I am a Ghanaian? It is my passport”, he said.
His comments come as a surprise as members of the NPP side in Parliament had constantly supported the EC in its move for the Ghana card to be used as the only source of identification for the voters register.
But as it stands, the NDC Members of Parliament are being whipped to be in the house at all cost to kick against the proposed CI.
A private Lawyer, Martin Kpebu, has argued that the Electoral Commission (EC) should retain the guarantor system for voter registration.
He said a system that is not broken should not be fixed.
“Let’s not fix something that’s not broken. We have been using this guarantor system for voter registration for decades,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, March 4.
Bawku Central Member of Parliament Mahama Ayariga also said he does not understand the argument of the EC regarding the Constitutional Instrument(CI) that is seeking to use the Ghana Card as the sole identity document for voter registration.
Mr Ayariga says the guarantor system in voter registration should be maintained.
“The electoral commissioner is saying the main issue is the guarantor system. The clear fact that they detected minor persons and deleted them means the system works so there’s no threat to the voter’s register,” he also said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, March 4.
He added “I expect that you will have a very meticulous view of your own work. I don’t understand this argument about the guarantor system.”
The Chair of the EC Jean Mensa earlier this week stated that the Ghana Card will not be used to vote in the 2024 general elections but for the voter registration exercise.
Briefing Parliament on the proposed CI that is seeking to make the Ghana Card the sole identification document for voter registration, on Tuesday, February 28 Madam Jean Mensa said the use of Ghana will ensure the credibility and integrity of the voter register.
“It is important to rehash that the use of the Ghana Card as the sole document of identification will ensure and guarantee the credibility and integrity of our register and elections, it will prevent the enrolment of minors to register, it will prevent foreigners from being registered to vote and it will eliminate the guarantor system which is prone to abuse and which promotes conflicts and violence.”
“The Ghana Card will not be used for voting in 2024, it will be used to register,” she added.
The new Constitutional Instrument (CI) proposed by the Electoral Commission (EC) won’t deprive Ghanaians of their right to vote in the general elections of 2024, according to the majority in parliament.
The EC with its new C.I is seeking to use the Ghana Card as the source document for registration onto the voters register.
Addressing the media, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsustated that the new policy aims at sanitising the electoral process.
“This is a system that has come to sanitise and purify our system. There are various institutions which recognise the integrity of the National Identification Authority and indeed the Ghana Cards and have resorted to the use of the Ghana Cards,” he said.
The EC is proposing a new constitutional instrument through which it intends to make the Ghana card the sole identification document for voter registration.
The Minority, which is rejecting this move by the EC, is also casting doubts on the capacity of the NIA to issue Ghana cards to all applicants who have registered for the cards.
Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has accused the Minority in Parliament of fueling mistrust against the Electoral Commission.
This comes after the Minority rejected the justifications given by the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) for the new CI seeking to make Ghana card the only identification for voter registration.
Chairperson for the EC Jean Mensa on Tuesday February 28 2023 told Parliament the new CI is to safeguard the sanctity of the electoral process devoid of foreign interference.
Mrs. Jean Mensa also justified the scrapping of the guarantor system. When questioned about the existence of the same system for Ghana card registration, the EC boss argued that system is more robust.
Addressing the media, Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson asked the EC to adopt the NIA system following the claim of the chairperson.
“We are quite sure many of you followed and reported on events in the Chamber last night, which showcased our opposition to an attempt by the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission to introduce a Constitutional Instrument before Parliament. The said C.I, the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Instrument, 2022, seeks to make the Ghana Card the sole document for the registration of voters onto Ghana’s electoral roll.
“What Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution requires, is evidence of citizenship and not evidence or proof of identification. Any evidence of citizenship should therefore qualify a person to be registered. That is why under the current C.I 91 as amended by C.I 126, Ghanaian Passports and guarantor system are allowed as evidence of citizenship,” Mr. Forson stated.
He continued: “Clearly, the proposed C.I which makes the Ghana Card the sole requirement for voter registration serves as a restraint on citizen’s right to register and exercise their franchise in elections. It is important to remind the Electoral Commission headed by Madam Jean Mensah that the Commission is enjoined by the constitution to advance the right to vote and not introduce any law that seeks to curtail same.”
Chairman for Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Dr. Dominic Ayine argued there is not need for a new CI since the existing one used for the 2020 registration is still very potent.
Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga berated majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu for arguing nobody can stop government business such as the laying of the CI from taking place. He questioned why EC business has become government business
Bolgatanga Central MP Isaac Adongo asked the EC to first wait for the NIA to issue cards to every qualified Ghanaian before tabling the idea of a new CI.
The Minority in Parliament has rejected the justifications given by the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) for the new CI seeking to make Ghana card the only identification for voter registration.
Chairperson for the EC Jean Mensah on Tuesday February 28 2023 told Parliament the new CI is to safeguard the sanctity of the electoral process devoid of foreign interference.
Mrs. Jean Mensah also justified the scrapping of the guarantor system. When questioned about the existence of the same system for Ghana card registration, the EC boss argued that system is more robust.
Addressing the media, Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson asked the EC to adopt the NIA system following the claim of the chairperson.
“We are quite sure many of you followed and reported on events in the Chamber last night, which showcased our opposition to an attempt by the Jean Mensah-led Electoral Commission to introduce a Constitutional Instrument before Parliament. The said C.I, the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Instrument, 2022, seeks to make the Ghana Card the sole document for the registration of voters onto Ghana’s electoral roll.
“What Article 42 of the 1992 Constitution requires, is evidence of citizenship and not evidence or proof of identification. Any evidence of citizenship should therefore qualify a person to be registered. That is why under the current C.I 91 as amended by C.I 126, Ghanaian Passports and guarantor system are allowed as evidence of citizenship,” Mr. Forson stated.
He continued: “Clearly, the proposed C.I which makes the Ghana Card the sole requirement for voter registration serves as a restraint on citizen’s right to register and exercise their franchise in elections. It is important to remind the Electoral Commission headed by Madam Jean Mensah that the Commission is enjoined by the constitution to advance the right to vote and not introduce any law that seeks to curtail same.”
Chairman for Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Dr. Dominic Ayine argued there is not need for a new CI since the existing one used for the 2020 registration is still very potent.
Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga berated majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu for arguing nobody can stop government business such as the laying of the CI from taking place. He questioned why EC business has become government business.
Bolgatanga Central MP Isaac Adongo asked the EC to first wait for the NIA to issue cards to every qualified Ghanaian before tabling the idea of a new CI.
Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jr. has expressed opposition to the adoption of the Ghana Card as the sole form of identity required for registration as a voter in Ghana.
The Electoral Commission (EC) is proposing a new Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) to replace the existing Instrument (C.I.) in preparation for the elections in 2024 and has asked Parliament for the passage of the new C.I.
The Commission wants the Ghana Card to be used for voting, claiming this will help to avoid irregularities and the guarantor system during the elections.
Contributing to Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” morning show, Kwesi Pratt questioned the logic in the EC’s argument to remove the guarantor system by the use of the Ghana Card.
“The guarantor system they are saying is not perfect and should be changed, we changing it to use the Ghana Card, the same system is used to do the Ghana Card. So, show me the wisdom in this!” he told host Nana Yaw Kesseh.
He also deflated the argument that the Ghana Card will improve the electoral system stating emphatically “there is no perfect identification card in Ghana. Whether a passport, birth certificate or any other thing, Ghana Card included, there is none that is perfect.”
“Elections are less than 2 years away. How do you insist on using this card which is unavailable?…Go high or low, someone has written his or her name and for 2 years now, the person has not got his or her card. How come such a person vote based on this? Based on the new C.I, how can such a person vote?”, he further asked.
Mr. Pratt concluded that “there is wisdom in opposition to the use of the card”.
Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa, surprisingly pulled up in Parliament today, February 29, 2023.
She was out of town as part of external observers in the ongoing Nigerian Elections.
Prior to Tuesday’s appearance, the Speaker of Parliament had asked the Jean Mensa to appear before the committee of the whole to discuss the Draft Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2023, and the status of the ECOWAS Identification Card (Ghana Card) Registration.
Due to her engagements in Nigeria, she failed to make it to the first meeting her outfit held with the committee, which included the National Identification Authority (NIA), and the EC.
The newly proposed instrument by the EC will make the Ghana Card the only identification document to be used to guarantee citizenship when passed.
On Thursday, the special budget report on the Electoral Commission’s C.I. was laid on the floor of parliament for the house to commence debate on the issue.
During the debate, the Chairperson of the Commission was absent but was represented by the deputy commissioner, Dr. Bossman Asare.
However, the Speaker directed that the Chairperson herself appear before the house after the minority raised concerns over her absence.
The Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson believed that Jean Mensa was to be in the house to give the needed assurance that the new CI before parliament will not disenfranchise Ghanaians among others.
“Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission is not here. I recognise Mr. Speaker, that the Deputy is here, but it is not the same as the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission. As we speak, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission has consistently avoided parliament.
“We are of the view that we have raised today in this chamber since morning, as serious issues that we prefer and will want the Electoral Commissioner to be here to give us the needed assurances,” Dr. Ato Forson said.
Based on this argument, the Speaker said that the Chairperson herself needed to appear before the house to clarify some of the concerns that have been raised.
According to a member of parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority will oppose any attempt by the Electoral Commission (EC) to utilize the Ghana Card as the only form of identity for voter registration.
He says any such move by the EC will hurt the right to vote and be voted for.
Speaking on the Big Issue via telephone on TV3 Monday, February 27, the former Minority Leader indicated that there are 3.5million people who are without Ghana Card.
He questioned whether the EC is going to deny all these 3.5 million people from exercising their right to vote because they do not have a Ghana Card.
“There is the right to vote and be voted for, the NDC will defend that right,” he said.
“We are contesting the use of Ghana Card as the sole reference for purposes of getting registered as a voter,” he said.
He stressed “the right to vote and be voted for is sacred. 3.5 million people don’t have the card, can you tell these 3.5 million persons not to vote?”
The Minority have been raising issues against the proposed CI.
On Thursday, February 23, they rejected officials from the EC and the National Identification (NIA) who were in Parliament to brief the House on the proposed CI.
They were expecting Madam Jean Mensa herself to appear.
But a statement issued by the Commission on Monday, February 27 said “The EC received a letter from Parliament on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 inviting the Commission to brief the leadership of the House on the draft CI on the registration of voters on Thursday 23 February 2024.
“At the time the chairperson had traveled to Nigeria at the invitation of ECOWAS/ECONEC for a peer exchange and election observation mission. That notwithstanding Dr Bossman Asare Deputy Chair for Corporate Service attended the meeting together with other directors of the commission.
“Surprisingly, the meeting was canceled as the Minority side insisted on the presence of the EC Chairperson at the meeting. We wish to state that contrary to the news item that the EC chair has returned to Ghana, the chairperson is still in Nigeria. She has not returned to Ghana.”
The EC added “The Commission, especially its chairperson understands the importance of the institution of Parliament having worked with Parliament for two decades prior to her appointment as Chairperson of the EC.
“The Chairperson upholds the institution of Parliament and will therefore not disrespect it in any way.
“The fact remains that the invitation from Parliament was sent a day before the meeting at a time the chairperson was out of the jurisdiction. Had she been aware of the request prior to her travel she certainly would have prioritized the meeting and attended upon the Honourable House.”
Claims that Parliament has passed the Electoral Commission (EC’s) Constitutional Instrument (CI) that seeks to make the Ghana Card the sole document for voter registration are false. This is according to a statement from the House dated February 24, 2023.
In a release signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Kate Addo, Parliament indicated that any such publication is false.
“Parliament states categorically that it has not passed any such Instrument.” the release clarified.
According to the release, Parliament does not pass Constitutional Instruments, adding that “They only come into force with the effluxion of time; that is after 21 days of the Instrument being laid in the House.”
Clarifying what ensued in the House on the 23rd of February, 2023, it stated that “Parliament held a pre-presentation discussion on the CI, to collect input from relevant sources for the drafting of the Constitutional Instrument (Cl).”
They, therefore, urged the media to endeavor to be accurate in their reportage, adding that they can “contact the relevant authorities and officers in case of ambiguity or for further clarification on issues concerning or emanating from the House.”
It would be recalled that the Electoral Commission in September last year, made a move to have the Ghana Card as the sole document for voter registration in the country.
The move agitated the Minority Group and they subsequently opposed the CI, saying it will disenfranchise voters. But the EC insisted that it will use the Ghana Card for voter registration.
According to the electoral management body, the Ghana Card is the most authentic means of identifying Ghanaians, hence the Commission’s decision to use it in compiling a new database of voters.
Subsequently, on February 8, the Minority in Parliament reiterated its strong opposition to the use of the Ghana Card for voter registration. They explained that many Ghanaians may not have access to it in order to register.
Former Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu says the Electoral Commission has sinned against the Constitution by not holding limited registration exercises since 2021.
According to him, this has disallowed some citizens who have come of age, the opportunity to enroll as voters.
He asked to be challenged on his assertion with facts and figures.
“Mr Speaker, for the record – 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, Ghanaians who have attained the age of 18 years have been denied the opportunity to be captured as registered voters. This is a constitutional wrong,” he said.
This situation, he noted, is unacceptable to a country committed to multiparty constitutional democracy.
“Mr Speaker, the right to vote and to be voted for is so sacred. Even for you elected Members of Parliament – one of the minimum qualifications for you to get voted as MPs is to show that you are a registered voter, that is the Constitution imposes in Article 94,” he added.
For this reason, he stated that the “Electoral Commission by virtue of their existing CI have no reason to tell anybody and this August House why they have still failed to capture Ghanaians who have attained 18 years.”
For this reason, the Tamale South MP said the EC must not be allowed to lay its new Constitutional Instrument (CI) in Parliament.
The ECs new CI makes the Ghana Card the only identification document to be used to guarantee citizenship.
The Minority is also opposed to a regulation in the CI which requires persons who want to register to do so at an EC district office.
According to Haruna Iddrisu, these regulations will disenfranchise Ghanaians, thus must not be allowed to go through.
“The Electoral Commission was now informing the Ghanaian public through Parliament that only the national ID card issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA) will be a sole reference document for the purpose of registration. Mr Speaker, that is the intendment of what is referred to as a draft CI,” he said.
“Again, Mr. Speaker, our committee found problems with that designation where it says a district office of the EC or any other place that the Commission considers appropriate. Mr Speaker, throughout history in 1993, since the establishment of the Electoral Commission, voter registration exercise is done at polling stations, not district offices,” he added.
But speaking in defence of the EC’s proposed Constitutional Instrument, MP for Akuapem South, O.B Amoah said the EC is justified in seeking to use the Ghana Card as the sole identity document.
He contended that the guarantor system has been abused, “in the sense that people override, detain guarantee contractors where they join the queue, get registered, they stand by and say that they are waiting for 10 or five people.”
Mr Amoah described the abuse of the guarantor system as a worry and must be taken into consideration.
“… If you look at this report, he seems to acknowledge that the guarantor system has been abused. Even as practitioners, the thought behind the guarantor system was to acknowledge that where a prospective registrant did not have any means of identification, they could fall on their parents, spouses, children to guarantee and sign a form that really I know this person,” he explained.
According to reports, the 16-year-old student took the knife out of their bag before stabbing the instructor in the middle of a lecture.
The attack happened at a private school in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, near Bordeaux (Picture: Metro.co.uk)Police outside the private Catholic school (Picture: AP)Police rushed to the scene this morning (Picture: AFP)
While the motive is yet to be established, LeMonde reported they may have been suffering from mental health issues.
Neither the attacker, nor the victim have been named by authorities.
Pap Ndiaye, the French education minister, confirmed he was on his way to Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
He said in a statement on Twitter: ‘Immense emotion following the death today of a teacher at Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin high school in Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
‘My thoughts go to their family, colleagues and students.’
Pyrénées-Atlantiques senator Frédérique Espagnac said she ‘totally condemns this act of violence against a teacher’.
Meanwhile, local prosecutor Jerome Bourrier confirmed a murder enquiry has been opened.
French government spokesperson, Olivier Véran, told reporters during a press conference the government would support educators across the country in the wake of the incident.
‘I can hardly imagine the trauma that this can represent,’ he said.
A few operational issues at the electoral administration organization have drawn the attention of the Electoral Commission (EC) Senior Staff Association.
This includes among other things, delays in the payment of administrative releases for the last two quarters of 2022, unprecedented delay in the payment of logistics and other services and delay in the payment of allowances for Commissioners for Oaths engaged during the 2020 voter registration exercise.
Other bottlenecks according to the workers are the reduction in the allocation of resources, pre-financing of operational and administrative activities and the outstanding payments for some temporary officials engaged during the District Level elections in 2019 and 2020 general elections.
“The commission’s inability to settle all outstanding administrative releases in full by the 15th February 2023 will cause the hanging of red flags at all offices of the Commission from 16th February 2023 to show our protest”, the employees warned.
The EC staff outlined these six main issues in a statement following a resolution. They explained each concern and likely consequences as follows:
A. DELAY IN PAYMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE RELEASES FOR TWO QUARTERS FOR THE YEAR 2022 (SIX MONTHS) i. Delay in the administrative releases for fuel, accountable imprest and inability to service and maintain official vehicles. ii. Payment of unrealistic rates of fuel for official vehicles. iii. Current economic conditions make it impossible for Regional Directors, Deputy Regional Directors and District Electoral Officers to Pre-finance fuel for official vehicles and undertake routine servicing and maintenance. iv. Inability to make payments for utilities (water and electricity) for the Offices. v. Disconnection of some offices of the Commission due to non-payment of utility bills.
B. DELAY IN THE PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING BILLS i. Non-payments for logistics (canopies, tables, chairs, boats, generators etc.) used for the 2020 voter registration exercise, under- taken during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. ii. Logistics needed for the exercise was hired, based on quotas, rates and operational, instructions from the Commission, amidst ‘strong warnings’ of sanctions in the failure to adhere. iii. Payment of only 20% of the total amount submitted for logistics, almost three (3) years after the exercise, which ended successfully for officers to receive commendation from the Commission for a good job done – the registers used for the 2020 elections are in debt. iv. District Electoral Officers are pestered on daily bases with incessant calls from vendors to redeem their debts. v. Some Vendors have sued some District Electoral Officers in the law courts and CHRAJ in attempts to retrieve their monies because Commission is unable to fulfil financial obligations. vi. District Electoral Officers are being verbally abused and even threatened on daily bases for non-payment of bills, making them live in fear. vii. District Electoral Officers have lost all the respect, dignity, goodwill and some favour earlier existed in their districts because the Commission has been unable to honour its part of the agreement. viii. District Electoral Officers are now having issues with their families and friends from whom they borrowed to offset some of the bills due to frustration. ix. District Electoral Officers believe that the Commission thinks the vendors were not truly engaged, hence the commission refusal to pay them.
C. DELAY IN PAYMENT OF COMMISSIONERS FOR OATHS ENGAGED FOR THE 2020 TRANSFER OF VOTERS i. District Electoral Officers were instructed through their Regional Directors to engage the services of Commissioners for Oaths during transfer of voters in the year 2020, and have not been paid allowances after the whole exercise. ii. The Commissioners for Oaths keep harassing District Electoral Officers because they haven’t received their allowance yet.
D. DRASTIC REDUCTION IN THE RESOURCES ALLOCATED FOR OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES BY THE COMMISSION
I. The Commission has drastically reduced allocated resources since the 2018 Referendum for the Creation Of new regions to date. ii. Fuel for recruitment of officials, organisation of grassroots, training of officials, collection, distribution and retrieval of electoral materials from the regional offices to the district offices to the field has been reduced drastically since 2018. iii. Daily subsistence allowances (DSA) for staff has also seen a reduction per the number of days stipulated for various electoral activities. iv. Resources for hiring of training venue for Training of Trainers (TOT) and grassroots training has been reduced drastically, making the organisation of the training programmes extremely difficult.
E. After the payment of officials for the 2019 District Level Elections (DLE) and the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, some officials did not receive their allowances due to errors in their bank account details. The leadership of the SSA have made several appeals to Management to see to it that these officials are paid their allowances. However, it appears that the situation has not seen any change. We wish to make a final appeal to Management to address this issue timely so that we can continue to enjoy the support, loyalty and cooperation of our temporary officials during future exercises.
In view of the above, the National Council, the second-highest decision-making body of the SSA and the mouthpiece for Senior Staff Members at the various regions have resolved to the following:
1. Commissions’ Inability to settle all outstanding administrative releases in full by the 15th February, 2023 will cause the following: a. Hanging of red flags at all offices of the Commission from 16th February 2023 to show our protest. b. Officers would be unable to perform administrative and operational functions that require any financial commitments. c. The National Council of the Association may employ other legitimate and permissible tools under the Labour Laws of Ghana to press on home our demands after hanging of the red flags.
2. All arrears owned to vendors should be paid by Wednesday 1st March 2023, to enable District Electoral Officers have the peace of mind to live and work in their districts. In the event that the commission fails to make payments. a. All calls from vendors will be directed to the Commission. b. Vendors will be directed to the Head Office to claim their monies. c. District Electoral Officers would be unable to engage the services of vendors for subsequent exercise.
3. Resources for operational and administrative activities should be restored to their previous levels; and rates and levels should be determined and communicated to officers before the commencement of upcoming activities. 4. Officers of the Commission would NOT pre-finance any activities under any circumstance.
5. Management should liaise with the Government as a matter of urgency to implement the recommendations made on conditions of service of the staff of Electoral commission by the Twenty (20)- member fact finding Parliamentary Adhoc Committee set up by Parliament on Friday, 28th January 2011.
6. Management should also endeavour to address all these pertinent issues in a timely manner for industrial peace and harmony to prevail, considering the fact that this year is an Election year.
