Political parties are calling on the Electoral Commission (EC) to uphold the agreement made at the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on June 2nd.
The meeting stipulated that party representatives should be present at all EC centres during the vote transfer process.
This process which is designed to facilitate the transfer, proxy, or replacement of voter ID cards at district EC offices, has caused dissatisfaction among the parties.
The EC issued a directive to its Regional Directors, instructing them to inform district directors that political party agents will not be allowed to observe the ongoing transfer of votes.
This directive was set to take effect on Monday, June 3rd.
Meanwhile, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, has assured that steps will be taken to allow party representatives during the process.
He mentioned that instructions have already been sent to district offices, which are currently overwhelmed with applicants for transfers, replacements, and other services.
Dr. Quaicoe further explained the process, noting the need for biometric verification and evidence of relocation for at least 12 months.
The EC also explained that this measure was necessary due to violent incidents recorded at some of its centres, notably in the Awutu Senya East Constituency of the Central Region.
However, the Commission assured that copies of the transferred voters’ list would be provided to political parties and their candidates upon request, a concession that has not satisfied the parties.
Speaking to Joy News, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Director of Elections, Evans Nimako, highlighted the agreement made at the IPAC meeting, stating that party agents should ensure that anyone applying for a transfer meets the requirements outlined in CI 127.
“At the IPAC meeting of yesterday [Sunday], we agreed that we would have our agents to ensure that anybody who appeared before the district office to apply for a transfer would have met the requirement as it is in CI 127,” he said.
Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, also demanded fairness in the exercise, criticising the lack of notice from the EC.
“Police commanders are getting involved. Why didn’t the Commission send notices? These are the challenges that we have,” he stressed.
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Source: Comfort Sweety Hayford/ATLFMNEWS
