EC didn’t engage NDC on new voter register – Afriyie Ankrah

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it will resist any attempt by the electoral commission to force its way in taking key decisions of national interest without the effective participation of the various political parties.

The party’s comment comes on the heels of a statement issued by the EC that there was a unilateral decision taken at an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 that it commences a compilation of new voters register ahead of the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Speaking to XYZ News, NDC Director of Elections, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah revealed the EC is being dishonest in its statement on what transpired at the IPAC meeting, discounting claims the parties agreed for the compilation of a new voter register.

According to Mr Afriyie Ankrah, the compilation of a new voters register was not one of the items on the agenda for discussion, thus cannot warrant a basis for any decision by the political parties.

The EC in a communique after the IPAC meeting said “the Commission will compile a new voters register ahead of the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.”

But the NDC believes the EC did not fairly represent what transpired at the meeting, therefore the party will take measures to resist any imposition of the electoral body in that regard.

He said the agenda for the meeting only captured the ‘Preparations for the 2019 District Level Elections’, the ‘Inspection of Political Party Offices’ and ‘Updates on the compliance of the Political Parties with Audit requirements’ hence they [NDC] are surprised the EC has announced it will compile a new register.

“That is absolutely shocking….It was not on the agenda,” he stated while noting that the issue of a new voter register is “a major issue” that needs a lot of deliberations.