Consider Ghana’s peace and stability when executing your mandate – Gyampo to EC, NIA

classfmonline.comMar 2, 2023 1:23 PM

Speaking to CTV’s Nana Otu Darko on Dwabre Mu, Thursday, 2 March 2022, the Political Science lecturer noted that despite the mandate given to state institutions, they must be prudent in decision-making

A Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof Ransford Gyampo, has said since there is no consensus among the country’s political parties regarding the use of the Ghana Card to compile a new register, the Electoral Commission (EC) and the National Identification Authority (NIA) must be considerate in implementing that decision.

This follows the laying of a Constitutional Instrument (C.I) before Parliament by the EC which seeks to make the Ghana Card the sole document for continuous registration on the voter roll.

Speaking to CTV’s Nana Otu Darko on Dwabre Mu, Thursday, 2 March 2022, the Political Science lecturer noted that despite the mandate given to state institutions, they must be prudent in decision-making due to the effect it will have on the entire nation.

“What I’ve noticed in this country is that when we entrust power into the hands of many people, some do not do it properly, others also, when they use the power to work, they do not think about the effect of the use of that power on the peace of the nation.

“The Electoral Commission and the NIA continue to focus on their mandate; ‘We have the mandate to do this, nobody can stop us, whatever we’re mandated to do is what we’ll do’. But sometimes, they forget while focusing on their mandate given to [them], that [they] need to put into consideration the effect on the peace of the nation,” Prof Gyampo stated.

Citing the passage of the Representation of People Ammendment Law (ROPAL), Prof Gyampo indicated that despite its passage, the former EC Chair, Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, did not enforce the law, as the various political parties had not reached a consensus.

“If there’s no peace in the nation as a result of your intransigence over your mandate, in fact, your outfit will no longer exist for you to hype your mandate. In 2006 when former President Kufour proposed Representation of People Amendment Law (ROPAL) to enable Ghanaians living abroad to vote, people staged a demonstration… Bernard Mornah was part of that demonstration, he’ll tell you if you ask him. People made noise about it. People kicked against it but the NPP used their Majority in Parliament, to pass the bill into law.

“One thing that Kufour did that I was so disappointed was [that] the very day the bill was passed, he assented his signature that night, to make it a law, meaning the demonstrations and all that noise people made to kick against it, did not matter. When the law was passed, Afari-Gyan had to make it work, but he called the political parties and said he told them that there’s no consensus among the parties on the law, because some did not agree that Ghanaians abroad should be allowed to vote,” Prof Gyampo narrated.

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He continued that: “The Hounourable man he is, he came to the realisation [that] until the parties agreed on the issue, he would not work with the ROPAL because if he does, the nation will be destabilised and the Electoral Commission will no longer be able to function. That’s why till date, ROPAL has not worked. Up till now, ROPAL has not been used from 2006.”

The Political Science lecturer pleaded with the leaders in charge of these agencies, to think about the “peace and stability of the nation.”

Professor Gyampo, emphasising the benefits of the Ghana Card, noted that if used as a source document for voter registration will help, however, the timing is wrong.

“The Ghana Card has so many benefits and if used as a source document for voter registration, it will help, it will be good, but what I’m trying to say is those in charge of these state agencies have not been able to convince the political parties properly, for them to come to a consensus,” he said.

He added: “So now that there’s no consensus, you have to wait.”

Meanwhile, Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa says the EC is not seeking to compile a new voter roll.

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She told parliament on Tuesday, 28 February 2023, about the new constitutional instrument laid before the legislature through which the election management body seeks to make the Ghanacard the sole primary document for voter registration.

“We would like to assure the house that we are not seeking to prepare a new register”, she said, explaining: “The C.I. is for a continuous registration and not for a new register.

“Under the limited voter registration process, registration was conducted at limited periods and was not done all-year-round”, she said.

She also noted that: “This made it such that persons who turned 18 after the registration period could not do so after the time set for the limited registration, which usually is within 2 to 3 weeks.”

“Under the new C.I., anyone who turns 18 can simply walk into any of our district offices and register to vote,” she indicated. “This is a departure from the previous one.

“The main advantage of this is that potential voters can register anytime, any day.”) “Eligible persons will be at liberty to do it at their leisure because it will be an all-year-round activity,” she indicated.