The National Coordinator of the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Mr Albert Arhin, has suggested that the Electoral Commission (EC) should develop an alternative plan (plan B) on how it is going to conduct this year’s elections.
That, he said, was as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) which had led to the imposition of restriction on movements of people and lockdown in certain parts of the country.
Option
According to him, “it is time to come out with an option, especially when the EC had postponed indefinitely the registration exercise which was scheduled to commence from April 18 for the compilation of a new voter’s register.
“The coronavirus situation is fluid and it is good to have an alternative because of the time we have available. By now, they should have started the registration but see the time we are in,” Mr Arhin told the Daily Graphic yesterday.
Some weeks after the President placed a ban on public gatherings as part of measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the EC said it was postponing the registration exercise.
The President also announced a partial lockdown of Greater Accra, Tema, Greater Kumasi and Kasoa.
Restriction
The restriction on movements of people has been extended and is expected to end on April 19.
But for Mr Arhin, he asked, among other things, whether or not the EC was going to use the old register which was used for the 2019 District Level Election, or conduct the registration in the non-lockdown areas and then later go back to locked-down areas to conduct the exercise?
He said even if the registration exercise was going to be conducted in the areas that are not under lockdown, the restrictions on those places would have to be lifted.
“The EC should think about this by now in view of the time frame between now and the conduct of the general election on December 7, 2020.
BVMS
The EC has indicated that it was going to conduct a new credible Biometric Voter Management System (BVMS) to replace the old voters' register.
Its decision has, however, been challenged by a coalition of political parties, including the main opposition National Democratic Congress.
Among other concerns, the party has questioned the EC’s decision on the compilation of the new register, insisting that the old register which was used, for instance, for the conduct of the 2016 general election and the 2019 District Level Election be maintained.
Source: Daily Graphic
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According to the First Gentleman of the land, it will be very shameful for him to contest 2020 Presidential should the number of confirmed cases increase to 500. This, he, further explained that his fight against the deadly virus would be a total failure, hence, his decision to pull out of the 2020 presidential election. Akufo-Addo is one of the president who is tirelessly fighting the deadly virus and will be disappointed in himself if the cases reach 500.
I AGREE WITH CODEO. NOW, WE KNOW EC CAN NO LONGER FULFILL PLAN 'A'. SO, EC SHOULD LAY DOWN TENTATIVELY THEIR PROGRAM FOR THE NATION, IF GHANA SHOULD GET OUT OF THE CORONA VIRUS PANDEMIC IN MAY, JUNE, AUGUST, NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER FOR PLAN 'B' 'C' 'D' OR 'E". COVID-19 MIGHT BE CATASTROPHIC BUT IT WILL NOT KILL EVERYBODY IN GHANA. SO, THOSE WHO MAY SURVIVED WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE PATH FOR OUR DEMOCRACY AND THE NEXT ELECTIONS. THE EC IS ESTABLISHED FOR OUR ELECTIONS. THEREFORE, AS OTHERS WORRY ABOUT OTHER THINGS, THE EC SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON ELECTORAL MATTERS TO PROVIDE THE AVAILABLE OPTION FOR ANY PARTICULAR TIME THAT THE CONDITION SHALL BECOME NORMAL. THE NEW DEVELOPMENT SHOULD ALSO BECOME AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EC TO CONSIDER ANY POSSIBLE COLLABORATION THAT THEY CAN FORGE WITH NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION AUTHORITY TO MAKE THEIR WORK EASY, EFFICIENT AND CHEAPER. COVID-19 SHOULD BECOME AN ADVANTAGE FOR EC TO ENHANCE THEIR PROGRAM AND STRATEGY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FOR GHANA MORE CREDIBLE ELECTIONS. THE IDEA OF PLAN 'B' 'C' 'D' OR 'E' WOULD BE RESISTED BY SOME PARTIES, YET IT WILL BECOME, FOR ALL INTENT AND PURPOSES, THE POINT OF REFERENCE FOR ANY DISCUSSION THAT WOULD ARISE IN CASE THE DECEMBER 2020 ELECTIONS SHOULD BE DELAYED. POP
Your Mahama is no visionary. He is an incompetent ***barred word***. If he were a visionary, he would not have lost the elections by ONE MILLION votes! Just look at what he is doing lately and you will see the childishness in him.
@Nana Coro: For once you guys must be serious and stop this faceless attack and insult of the President. Everybody knows that the President is doing his best in the circumstances, this Pandemic is a learning experience for everybody including most of the world renowned Public Health experts. These insults will not help anybody including you. Let us get serious as a people and watch what we write on the internet it is abuse of resources and only exposes us all as uncivilized entities.
Man, be more serious!
I am not amazed by the so called ""know it all"" government. WHEN OTHER MEANINGFUL CITIZENS PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS WHICH CAN HELP CURB THE SPREAD of the deadly "" NANA CORONA"", BECAUSE OF INEPT AND IMPOTENCY of Nana Coro and his government, they are very quick to DISCOOUNT any laudable IDEA. LOCKDOWN IS ONE STEP TO CURB, YOU NEEDED TO FOLLOW IT up with COMPULSORY AND CONTINUOUS TESTING. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE men , MEANS,CAPACITY AND ABILITY, LET US ALL CONTRIBUTE OUR WIDOW'S MIGHT. Everyone has come to the terms, with reality of inept of the Health and Deputy Ministers . So in the midst of combating Corona , Reshuffle must be carried to bring Afable and Hardworking Dr Oko Boye on Board. Corona has exposed Nana coro government of putting square pegs in round holes.MAHAMA AND NDC EARLIER SUGGESTED ELECTRICITY/ECG REBATE FOR THE LIFELINE customers. This noble idea WAS INITIALLY RUBBISHED. THE REALITY DAWNED AND they WENT TO FETCHED THE IDEA from a Dustbin . NDC AND AKANDOH MINTAH SUGGESTED earlier for COMPULSORY QUARANTINE OF PRESIDENT AND HIS DELEGATION AND OTHERS WHO WENT TO NORWAY, INCLUDING NORWAY AMBASSADOR TO GHANA.THE IDEA AS USUAL WAS DISCOUNTED. THE REALITY CAUGHT WITH the KNOW IT ALL NPP. MAHAMA IS PROPOSING A FREEZED ON RENT AND POSSIBLE EJECTION OF TENANTS BY LANDLORDS. STATE INTERVENTION IN FORM TAX WAIVER FOR LANDLORDS. GHANAIANS HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE VISIONARY MAHAMA INVESTMENT IN HEALTH FACILITIES, RIDGE HOSPITAL LEGON MEDICAL CENTRE,BANK OF GHANA HOSPITAL,DODOWA,ChIPS COMPOUND AND SO MANY UNCOMPLTED AND ABANDONED HEALTH POSTS BY VINDICTIVE GOVERNMENT. THE HEALTH OF A NATION IS ITS WEALTH. COME BACK VISIONARY MAHAMA(VM).OTHERS MAY CALL YOU JM BUT I THINK ITS UNDERSTATEMENT, IT SHOULD BE (VM) for Long and VISIONARY Mahama for short.