Addressing a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, Jean Mensa assured that such persons who have infiltrated the voters' register would be expunged after the challenge processes are completed at its district offices.
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Minors and foreigners on voters' roll: Prosecute Jean Mensa for causing financial loss – Asiedu Nketia
Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called for the arrest and possible prosecution of the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission after it admitted that non-Ghanaians and minors compromised the new voters' register.
Asiedu Nketia
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She stated that a 16-member EC adjudication committee set up would aid in clearing the new voters to register of unqualified persons (minors and foreigners).
The EC boss reassured that the register that would be used in the 2020 General election will comprise of only eligible Ghanaians.
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"The Commission is mindful of the infiltration of foreigners at a number of our registration centres. Additionally, we are aware that a number of minors have found their way into the register. We are confident that the challenge processes initiated at all districts throughout the country will unearth these illegal persons and rid the register of those who do not qualify to be thereon. We are confident that the register that will be used for the 2020 elections will be a wholly-owned Ghanaian enterprise reflecting qualified Ghanaians and Ghanaians only," she said.
Jean Adukwei Mensa, EC boss
Pulse Ghana
But Asiedu Nketia said Jean Mensa and her deputies must be arrested for causing financial loss to the state.
According to him, the EC knew they were registering minors and foreigners and, so, must be made to answer for it.
"They knew it and they went in with their eyes fully opened. So, it is too late to come and tell Ghanaians this cock and bull story," he said.
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In an interview on Accra FM, the NDC scribe noted that "We all know there is no equipment that can determine one's age during a registration exercise but if you ditched the old roll with the claim that it had minors on it and insisted on buying new equipment to compile a new clean one, then it was assumed your new improved equipment can tell who a minor is and stop that person from registering.
"We told you such equipment doesn't exist and, so, we're were better off maintaining the old register because the minors that were captured in 2012 are now eligible voters, so, they are no longer minors. But by insisting on compiling a new register, you rather opened the opportunity for more minors to enter the register" adding that on the EC's own admission to registering minors and foreigners should serve as the basis for prosecution for causing financial loss to the state.
"So, what do you want to tell Ghanaians after repeating the same mistake you claimed you were going to solve with a new register?" he queried.
The EC said it has registered a total of 16,663,699 voters as of Thursday, August 6, 2020.
The old voters' register had a total of 16,845,420 registered voters.
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The Commission had projected to register 15 million eligible Ghanaians in the 38-day mass registration exercise but exceeded that target after registering 16,663,669.
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