Ghana's electoral commission requests over GH¢400 million for new voters register, but minority in parliament says the budget is outrageous

The commission, as part of its activities for the year 2020, wants to compile a new register for the general elections.

The Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, Mr Samuel Tettey, who spoke at a press briefing reiterated the need for a new register.

“The current register is credible but it has been stretched to a point where you don’t want to take that same risk. We want to have something that is more credible,” he said.

“If you remember, during the exhibition some of you heard that some people were not captured because of the equipment we are using…'' he added.

In its budget, the EC also allocated GH¢287,842,511 for the conduct of elections.

More than GH¢27million has also been requested for voter and electoral education and GH¢1.2million for demarcation of electoral boundaries.

Meanwhile, the largest opposition party and minority in parliament, National Democratic Congress (NDC) has kicked against the note, saying, there is no need for a new register.

“…in my opinion, there is no such need for a new voters’ register. Why do we require a new register?… Our practice has been that we replace the new register every decade," General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah said.

A member of the NDC’s legal team, Abraham Amaliba also claimed that the Commission wants to disenfranchise some Ghanaians with the new register, Graphic online reported.

Speaking on Tuesday, December 18, 2019, the Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Peter Otukunor reiterated the party’s position that there is no need for a new register.

He said it is better for the Commission to upgrade the old register.