Compiling Voters’ Register Is Not A ‘One-Time Event’ – EC Replies Parties
The Electoral Commission (EC) has reacted to the pressure from the political parties, particularly the National Democratic Congress, regarding the voters’ register, stating emphatically that compiling the register is “not a one-time event”.
The EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa, explained during a meeting with the parties on Tuesday, October 1 that “the conduction of the final voters register is a process” and delineated the process.
She noted that the register goes through review to adjudication stage, revealing that “right after the registration exercise, we institute the District Registration Review Committees who sit in all districts to hear challenged cases presented by the citizenry. And we have the political parties, traditional authorities, the security agencies as part of this Committee”.
“Here again, we have representatives of the political parties who work with the Commission to establish the rules and to take the decisions concerning these persons.”
Madam Jean Mensa, further addressing the issues at the IPAC meeting, stressed the Commission, as part of ensuring the register is clean and transparent, holds an exhibition of the provisional register to allow for inspection and correction of discrepancies.
She added the Commission also has a sitting of District Registration Review Officers made up of magistrates appointed by the Chief Justice to every district to adjudicate the cases including objections against the register.
“It is followed by the review and authentication of the magistrates appointed in each of the districts. Following their reviews and rulings of each of the cases, our district officers then implement the decisions of the magistrates.
“It is followed by a verification of the implementation of these decisions by our regional directorates headed by our regional directors. Following that, we at the head office compose a team made up of IT and Electoral services who then verify that all the decisions and recommendations provided have been fully implemented. It is after this stage that the voters register is produced”, Jean Mensah elucidated.
Source: Ghmessenger.com
