The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has once again decided to add another layer to the robustness of Ghana’s electoral system.
This time, the commission wants to seek legal support, under the proposed Constitutional Instrument (CI), among others, to use the Ghana Card as a single document for all future voter registrations.
The EC is of the opinion that the Ghana Card produced by the National Identification Authority (NIA) has superior features over other documents including the Ghana Passport and voter identification (ID) cards produced by the EC.
In the words of EC Chairman, Jean Mensa, the proposed CI will preserve the sanctity of the electoral process without foreign interference because one unqualified person on our list is too many. The use of the Ghana Card as the only document for voter registration ‘states that the guarantor system which has hitherto allowed registered voters to guarantee the nationality and age of the applicant will no longer be used for the registration process’ due to its nature. challenge.
Framework
In addition to being protected under our electoral political legal framework, the Ghana Card can be a secure and reliable form of identification that can help reduce fraudulent activities such as double voting.
As has been the case, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has defended the EC’s proposed CI while the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has long opposed it. The ruling parties have sided with the EC while the opposition parties have opposed EC reforms for years, he said.
Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and former EC Chairman, Dr Kwadwo Afari Djan, is one of those kicking against the CI proposed by the EC. The central argument of opponents includes the possibility of disenfranchising many due to the practical difficulties of securing a Ghana Card. The question of identity has led to bloody conflicts in Africa, so anything related to identity politics should be handled with care.
danger
One of the main dangers associated with only using the Ghana Card for voter registration is that it can be used to disenfranchise certain groups of people. For example, if citizens do not have access to financial resources or valid documents, they cannot obtain a Ghana Card, and thus cannot vote in elections. If one of the unqualified people on the list is too many as the EC chairman pointed out, doesn’t the same logic apply to qualified people who can’t get on the list because they can’t get a Ghanaian card?
Also, the claim that NIA offices are located in the districts and regional capitals, so they are accessible gives the impression that the new CI advocates are out of touch with the reality in rural Ghana. Do we really think that some poor and elderly people in rural areas will travel many kilometers by walking or using a bicycle to the capital of a district in Ghana, especially, if they do not get their card on the same day, at a cost? health, money and time?
In addition, although it is true that many unqualified people can get into the electoral register through the guarantor system, it is also true that the Ghana Card may not reflect a person’s true identity, so there is a risk that ineligible people can also get into the electoral register through the Card Ghana.
Database
Another challenge of using the Ghana Card as the sole document for voter registration is that it can be costly for the government to produce and distribute the card to all eligible citizens, as well as maintain an up-to-date voter database. This is a function of economic health that cannot be guaranteed tomorrow. In addition, there is a risk that the biometric data stored on the card could be stolen or misused, which could have serious implications for Ghana’s national security and privacy.
Added to the above is the possibility that the system can be manipulated by those in power, leading to unfair or unjust outcomes. Consolidation of results in our elections should not be jeopardized because the consequences may be very costly for us. The type of politics we have in Ghana makes it too risky to allow executive arm control in any process to get people on the electoral roll. NIA is under executive control.
Manipulation
The main danger of leaving voter registration in the hands of government executives is that it may be prone to misuse and abuse, as it may be done in a way that may benefit certain political parties or individuals. In addition, there is a risk of manipulation and fraud, as the executive arm of government can inadvertently influence election results by deliberately excluding certain groups or individuals from the electoral process. Finally, there is also the risk that the process may become corrupt or inefficient, leading to a loss of confidence in the electoral system.
Other documents must be accepted for voter registration to ensure that all eligible citizens are given the opportunity to exercise their right to vote. The important thing is to be alert.
Additionally, having multiple documents available allows for greater accuracy in verifying a person’s identity and reduces the risk of fraud and other errors.
The author is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science,
University of Education, Winneba
Source: Dr. George Sugar
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