EC’s Admission of Errors Exposes IT System Weaknesses – Ayine
Former Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has stated that the Electoral Commission’s (EC) admission of errors in the voter register, followed by subsequent corrections, reveals that its IT system is not robust.
He urged the EC to recognize that, although independent, it operates under the constitution and must adhere to Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) 91 by providing political parties with the provisional voter register.
Dr. Ayine emphasized that C.I. 91 mandates the EC to present the provisional register to political parties for review and corrections, a demand the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been making.
Speaking on TV3’s Key Points on Saturday, September 28, the Bolgatanga East MP said, “The EC has not denied the occurrence of errors. By admitting to these errors, it indicates that the IT system is indeed flawed.”
He continued, “The EC is independent, but as Justice Ggadegbe highlighted in the Abu Ramadan v. Attorney-General case, its independence is subject to the constitution and laws of Ghana.
Under C.I. 91, the EC is required to provide political parties with the provisional register, not just for them to glance at it, but to meticulously check for any errors. This is exactly what the NDC is doing.”
Meanwhile, EC Deputy Chairman, Dr. Bossman Asare, has assured the public that all issues identified by the NDC regarding the voter register have been resolved.
The NDC had pointed out missing and unidentifiable voter data, as well as illegal voter transfers, demanding a re-exhibition of the provisional register.
However, Dr. Asare, speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues on Sunday, September 29, stated, “I can confirm that all the problems raised by the NDC have been resolved. We invite them to the table to discuss any remaining concerns, but their call for a forensic audit is premature.”
In response to the NDC’s petition for a forensic audit, the EC explained, “We have largely addressed all discrepancies identified in the Provisional Voter Register (PVR). The same was achieved in 2020, and it will be done again in 2024. We believe that existing legal and administrative processes for cleaning the PVR have not yet been fully utilized to justify a forensic audit.”
The NDC had previously organized a nationwide demonstration, titled “Enough is Enough,” on September 17, to demand an audit of the register. NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, stated, “Our demand is simple: We want the EC to ensure a free, fair, and transparent election. A credible register is central to that goal.”
He added, “Transparent elections are key to safeguarding our democracy. Without the right of self-determination, democracy is meaningless. At this moment, Ghana’s democracy is under serious threat, but we are determined to prevail. Elections alone don’t guarantee democracy—it’s the commitment of democratic-minded citizens that sustains it.
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