The Electoral Commission (EC) has announced an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting scheduled for Monday, September 30, 2024, at its conference room.
The meeting, which will focus on the electoral register, comes in response to ongoing concerns about the integrity of the voter roll ahead of the 2024 general elections.
This meeting follows the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) demand for a forensic audit of the Provisional Voter’s Register (PVR), citing discrepancies in the current voter roll.
The NDC’s call for an audit was part of a petition submitted after a demonstration on September 17, 2024. However, the EC, led by Chairperson Jean Mensa, has dismissed the need for such an audit, maintaining that the current legal and administrative mechanisms in place to address any issues with the register have not yet been fully utilized.
In a letter to NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the EC emphasized its confidence in the robustness of the current electoral roll, stating: “As a Commission, we are of the view that the existing legal and administrative processes for cleaning the PVR have not been fully exhausted to justify the call for a forensic audit.”
The EC reassured both the NDC and the general public that it is actively addressing the discrepancies identified in the PVR, as it did during the 2020 general elections, and that the same processes will be applied for the upcoming 2024 polls.
In an effort to foster transparency, the EC has invited the NDC to participate in discussions and observe the steps being taken to resolve any issues in the voter register.
Additionally, the EC responded to concerns about the illegal transfer of votes, revealing that its District Officer in Pusiga, Upper East Region, had been dismissed for facilitating 38 illegal vote transfers, which have since been corrected.
Regarding the NDC’s request for a re-exhibition of the voter register, the EC cited time constraints but assured voters that an online version of the register will remain accessible until election day.
The EC concluded by urging trust in the established processes and reaffirming its commitment to.
