The Electoral Commission (EC) has finally released copies of the provisional voter register to political parties ahead of the impending exercise slated for August 20,2024.
This follows intense pressure by political parties led by the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other stakeholders, barely 24 hours before the commencement of the voter register exhibition exercise which begins on Tuesday, August 20 to 27, 2024.
The Commission, which had earlier promised to release the data last Friday, 16th August, 2024 did not explain what informed the delay, a development which has fuelled suspicion, especially after anomalies were detected with collation figures during the voter registration exercise.
However, at a press conference held at the EC headquarters on Monday, the Deputy Electoral Commissioner, Dr Bossman Asare, argued that the Commission is still within its scheduled timeframe for delivering the provisional register to political parties.
“We have heard in sections of the media that the commission has not given the provisional voter register to the political parties after informing the parties to bring their external drives. We want to place on record that per Regulation 22 of CI 31 as amended by CI 126, the commission is required to give the provisional register to the political parties not later than three months from the end of the registration period, ” he explained.
Dr Asare confirmed that NDC has collected its external drive containing the provisional voters register and other parties will also be served.
Background
It will be recalled that the NDC, as far back as July applied to the EC for copies of the provisional register for scrutiny ahead of the exhibition exercise which will commence on Tuesday, August 20 and conclude on August 27, 2024.
The EC however wrote to the NDC on July 18, 2024, requesting for an external drive (2 terabytes) for the PVR to be loaded, but delayed the release till the NDC and other political parties stormed the EC premises today.
Earlier, NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia called for the postponement of the voter register exhibition if the EC cannot release copies of the register to stakeholders.
