Some stakeholders in the Upper East Region at a Consultative forum on the Representation of the People’s Amendment Act (ROPPA) have expressed concerns about the quantum of money the state is likely to invest in the Electoral Commission, (EC), to conduct elections of Ghanaians staying abroad.
The Stakeholders involved Persons With Disabilities, (PWDs’), Political Parties, Civil Society Organizations, (CSOs’), the National Commission for Civic Education, (NCCE), Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, (CHRAJ) and the securities agencies expressed the concern in Bolgatanga.
The stakeholders were of the view that in as much as it was very important not to disenfranchise Ghanaians in abroad from voting, the cost involved must also be considered viewing the current economic crisis in the country.
Majority of the stakeholders therefore proposed that instead of opening both the Presidential and Parliamentary and other elections for Ghanaians staying abroad who were qualified to vote, the EC could be financed to kick-start with the Presidential election whilst the remaining of the country’s elections followed later.
The stakeholders further stressed that to ensure free, fair and peaceful implementation of ROPAA and to eliminate political interference and produce fair results, the appointments of officers to conduct the election should be done by the EC.
They also underscored the need for the EC to engage the services of civil servants in the diplomatic missions abroad or the embassies to help conduct the election.
Whilst, some of the stakeholders proposed that there should be electronic voting for Ghanaian living abroad, others disagreed and said the electronic voting would require biometric verification which may cause confusion.
The stakeholders agreed that the basic requirement including a valid Ghanaian Passport, a valid residential permit and proof of dual citizenship as proposed for the ROPAA should be maintained.
A member of the committee and a former Member of Parliament, (MP) Dr. Benjamin Kumbuor explained that, the engagement was not a debate but for stakeholders to expressed their opinions and no opinion was rated high or low, adding that, the requirement for one to register and vote as a Ghanaian abroad, you must have valid Ghanaian passport, resident permit of the country you reside and a proof of dual citizenship.
The Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of Operations, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare noted that, the EC was ordered by an Accra High Court to take steps to implement the ROPAA by the end of 2019 after five Ghanaians in 2017 took the EC to Court for their failure to implement the Act.
The Deputy Chairman who stated that the Act was passed by Parliament in 2006, but the EC failed to implement the Act, noted that the engagement forums organized in all the regions of Ghana was therefore aimed at creating platforms for the EC to take inputs from stakeholders to enable it to implement the Act successfully with the aid of Parliamentarians.
The Representation of People’s Amendment Act of 2006, Act 699 provides that the EC takes steps to ensure that Ghanaians living abroad had the opportunity to vote during any general election.
Story filed by Emmanuel Akayeti
