‘EC’s workshop an attack on rule of law’ – NDC

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of engaging in illegalities.

The Deputy General Secretary of the party, Peter Boamah Otukonnor, alleged that the Commission held meetings at the City Escape Hotel in Accra yesterday [Wednesday], despite an injunction preventing the Commission from holding a similar meeting in the Ningo Prampram constituency.

There is a ban on all public gatherings including conferences and workshops, religious activities, funerals and festivals as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, hence the ex-parte injunction by the court.

Peter Boamah Otukonnor said the conduct of the EC is an attack on the country’s democracy.

“After the breach of the injunction secured by Sam George, and subsequent to the report we forwarded to the CID, it was very surprising that this afternoon, we picked another notice and intel that the Electoral Commission was still meeting at the City Escape Hotel. We sent people to verify and indeed they had the meeting at the City Escape Hotel. I think this is very unfortunate.

“This is an attack on our democracy and an attack on the Rule of Law. The Electoral Commission, clearly under E.I 64 has not been classified as an essential service provider and for that matter, any meeting, any social meeting they organise is in direct contravention of the E.1 64. The judgement in the Sam George injunction spells it out clearly that the E.1 64 does not classify the Electoral Commission as an essential service provider.”

The EC was planning to hold a national planning meeting and a training workshop to prepare and plan for the upcoming voter registration exercise.

The EC was however stopped from holding the meeting after an injunction was secured by the Member of Parliament for the Ningo Prampram Constituency, Sam Nartey George.

The programmes were scheduled to take place from Apri 24, 2020, to April 29, 2020, at the City Escape Hotel.

The meeting was to be held in three different batches in order to observe the social distancing protocols amidst the outbreak of the coronavirus in Ghana.

The plans for new register are currently on suspension because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The voters’ registration exercises were initially scheduled to begin on April 18, due to COVID-19.

Following the suspension, the EC had said it is collaborating with health experts to decide on a more favourable date depending on the prevalence rate of the virus.

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