Jean Mensa
At the end an assessment workshop for the 2020 polls by the Electoral Commission (EC), the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) has given a unanimous bill of credibility and transparency for the process which it added met international standards.
The IPAC thumbs-up for the EC was contained in the communiqué signed by representatives of the NPP, CPP, NDP, GUM, GVP, PNC, PPP among others at the end of the workshop.
The meeting was boycotted by the opposition NDC which has been at loggerheads with the commission and has decided to participate in the commission’s activities.
The parties making up the IPAC endorsed the implementation of a continuous voter registration exercise to enable people who turn 18 and adults who have not registered previously to do so.
To this end, they demanded the setting up of a committee to deliberate on the modalities for the excrcise.
On the issue of proof of citizenship they agreed that this be restricted to the Ghana Card and Ghana Passport since they said ‘the guarantee system is often abused.’
Continuing the parties supported the ‘introduction of an all-year round Voter Exhibition Exercise through the use of technology (SMS short code)’ and the maintenance of periodic mass verification at exhibition centres.
The parties also asked that a cut-off time for the Continuous Voter Register Exhibition to allow for the compilation of the Register for voting on Election Day’ be put in place.
On the filing of nominations they agreed that “the Five (5) day period for filing of Nominations introduced in 2020 should be maintained.”
The period set aside to enable the political parties to obtain signatures from their supporters they held should be increased and the period for Election Campaign defined.
They want the encouragement of nominations of female and persons with disabilities (PWDs) candidates through a reduction of their filing fees by 50%.
Regarding the current arrangement by which the Media, Security Services and Election Officials are allowed to apply and vote under the Special Voting arrangement the parties agreed “should be maintained until such time that the process is fully entrenched.”
On the timing of polls they endorsed the EC proposal that they end at 3pm instead of 5pm.
To reduce tension the parties agreed that “Certified Regional Collated Results should be announced by the Chairperson as this would also eliminate suspicion.”
They added however that “the Commission should state clearly the percentage of results yet to be released, etc.”
To avoid the instance of ballot box snatching they suggested the affixing of ballot boxes to tables.
On security the parties pointed out that security around elections is the responsibility of the police who should “arrange a periodic platform to engage IPAC and other Stakeholders.”
The refund of nomination deposits for all contesting candidates was also included for future deliberation.
The parties agreed to take a look at the recommendation to have data entry only at the Constituency Collation Centre so as to reduce manual inputs at all levels and other technological suggestions to strengthen of results collation.
By A.R. Gomda
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