President Akufo-Addo has stated that the new voters’ register compiled by the Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission is the most credible in Ghana’s history.
According to him, in spite of the concerns surrounding the possible exponential spread of Covid-19 as a result of the exercise, the election management body was able to conduct the process successfully ahead of the polls in December.
“Fellow Ghanaians, the remarkable nature of us, the Ghanaian people, the first colonised people in sub-Saharan Africa to gain their freedom and independence from foreign rule, is manifesting itself again.
In the midst of the pandemic, we have been able to compile a voters’ register, arguably, the most credible voter register in our history; our democratic institutions continue to function effectively; there continues to be vigorous public debate on issues of public policy; respect for the rule of law continues to be central to our governance,” he said.
The president made these comments in his 15th update to the nation on steps his administration has taken to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
Akufo-Addo’s assessment comes days after the Electoral Commission admitted to still having some minors and foreigners among the 16.9 million persons captured on its new register.
But the President believes the Electoral Commission deserves commendation.
He further congratulated the EC for a transparent and safe exercise and on the regular updates provided the nation throughout the process.
“On behalf of the people of Ghana, I congratulate warmly the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Jean Mensa, her two Deputies, Dr Eric Asare Bossman and Mr Samuel Tettey, and the entire Commission for the efficient, safe, transparent nature of the registration exercise, where, for the first time in our nation’s history, Ghanaians were provided with daily updates of the numbers of eligible voters registered, together with specific age, gender, regional breakdowns, and breakdowns of identity documents,” the Head of State indicated.
The National Democratic Congress during the voters’ registration exercise alleged voter suppression in its strongholds with pockets of violence recorded at some centres leading to the death of one person at Banda.
Some properties were also destroyed at other places during the process.
But Akufo-Addo said, “all eligible voters were given the unfettered opportunity to register, a process that was fully embraced by the mass of the citizenry.”
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Source: JoyOnline