COVID-19: EC and NIA's "posture and intransigence" undermine WHO protocols - CHRAJ

In a statement, CHRAJ also asked the Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID-19 to advise the Electoral Commission (EC) to suspend its plan for the new voters' roll.

Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal, said: "…the Commission is of the considered view that the President or the Inter-Ministerial Committee calls the NIA to order by suspending forthwith its ongoing registration exercise in the Eastern Region until the COVID-9 pandemic normalises."

CHRAJ called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to call the NIA and the EC to order.

The statement added that "in the same vein, the Commission calls on the President or the Inter-Ministerial Committee on COVID-19 to advise the EC on the potential public health risk and safety associated with the planned Voters’ Registration due to the danger or threat that any mass gathering arising from such an exercise can pose to the health and life of the people."

"Concerning the Electoral Commission (EC), the Commission's attention has been drawn to a Press Statement dated 17th March 2020 issued by Sylvia Annoh (Mrs), EC's posture and intransigence would undermine WHO protocols/benchmarks on COVID-19 and capable of violating the above-mentioned provisions of the Constitution, international and regional human rights instruments and the SDGs for which Ghana is a State Party and a signatory.

"The Commission further recommends that Government as a matter of urgency provide protective gear and equipment to all hospitals and health facilities both private and public and to all health professionals directly handling Covid-19 suspected cases to mitigate the looming contagion in the protection of the rights to health and life of these professionals who are exposed to serious risks of contracting the deadly virus in the line of duty on a daily basis," the statement added.