NPP chairmen sue EC; demand list of people who registered with NHIS cards

Abu Mubarik 14:39 - 10 June 2016

The suit comes on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling ordering the EC to delete the names of people who registered with NHIS cards and re-register them with a valid ID card.

Three Regional Chairmen of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have sued the Electoral Commission (EC) to demand the release of the total number of people who registered with National Health Insurance cards.

The chairmen are from the Upper East, Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions.

The court held that the NHIS card does not show prove of nationality.

If granted, it will afford the NPP an opportunity to challenge the names of those who registered with NHIS cards during the exhibition of the voters register.

Lawyer for the plaintiffs, Obiri Buahene said the request is “harmless,” adding that the plaintiffs only want the names of those who registered with NHIS cards “under constituency by constituency.”

In 2004, the Supreme Court ruled that the use of NHIS cards were unconstitutional.

Following the ruling, Abu Ramadan and Evans Nimako again sued for the EC, asking the court to declare electoral roll unconstitutional and not fit for purpose.

But the court said the names should be deleted instead, and affected persons given the opportunity to register.