According to its Executive Director, Richard Ahiagbah, the Electoral Commission (EC) is mandated by law to compile a new elcletoral register when an old one is fraught with challenges.
According to him, election 2020 cannot come off per the constitution of Ghana if the new votersâ register is not compiled.
Speaking in an interview with Happy FM, Mr. Ahiagbah said âwe need to compile a new votersâ register. The law gives no room for us to have an election without compiling the register. We need to compile a new register or engage in a limited voter registration exerciseâ.
He reiterated that, he could not dictate to the EC what they should do but the law requires them to compile the votersâ register. âElection 2020 can never come off without a limited votersâ register or new one. The EC can even be sued for preventing citizens from exercising the rightsâ.
Jean Adukwei Mensa, EC boss
When concerns were raised on the COVID-19 pandemic, Richard Ahiagbah opined that it is possible for the voters registration exercise to go on whilst the Government still fought the virus. He noted that his statement was not made out of political ambitions.
âWhether there is COVID-19 or not, whether we will vote or not, we need to open up the votersâ register for people without their names to get registered. And that is the lawâ.
On his authority if it becomes impossible for citizens to get their names in the votersâ register then there would be no need for election 2020, because these individuals will be deprived of their right to vote.