Ghana: Cleric takes on political parties for blaming EC over bloated register

Chairman of the Peace Council, Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante has said that political parties do not have the moral right to blame the Electoral Commission (EC) over the existence of minors on the electoral roll since they are the one who bus  minors to registration centres  to get them captured on to the biometric data.

He said, blaming the EC over our bloated register will be extremely hypocritical on the part of political parties because they supervise these illegal acts due to their over zealousness for political power.

Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Asante speaking in an interview with Nyankonton Mu Nsem indicated, the voters’ register is a valuable document therefore it should be credible, however, a credible register he posited is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders.

Both the NDC and NPP have accused each other of registering minors in the just ended limited registration exercise. General Secretary of the governing party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah has said that all political parties are to be blamed for minors on our register.

The chief scribe of the party in an interview with Rainbow Radio revealed that more minors registered in the just ended limited registration exercise, because some political parties failed to help prevent such illegalities.

He said, the NDC as a party is willing to assist the EC to resolve the problem but their opponents, the NPP are not happy to join efforts in resolving the problem. An Electoral Officer with the EC at Tarkwa Nsuam Mr. Kweku Owusu Addo in an interview today, revealed that observers from both political parties registered minors in the area during the exercise and he personally had to challenge about 10 of those people.

Commenting on the issue, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Asante quizzed, ‘’If that is true, then what moral right do  political parties involved in this have, to blame the EC over a bloated register?’’

He added, you do not have the moral right whatsoever to blame the EC if the register is bloated if you [political parties] supervise the registration of minors.’’

He charged Ghanaians to stand up against this illegality which has the potential of creating chaos and unnecessary tension. He particularly singled out parents to stand up against politicians who for their political power, want to register their wards who are not eligible to vote for them during elections.

Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Asante noted the ripple effects of such acts will not only affect one political party rather citizens hence the need for every concern Ghanaian to join the fight against it.

"Ghana is bigger than any political party, so let’s break our silence and speak against the registration of minors. Ghana does not belong to either the NDC or NPP, it belongs to all of us, and so we have the right to speak…

Why have you kept quiet as parents to allow your ward to register when he or she is not qualified? Do you think you will be spared when the station is destabilised?’’

"I will only appeal to Ghanaians to be bold and defend the country when things go wrong. We must speak the truth at all times no matter what the challenge we will go through.’’

-Rainbowradio|Ghana