<<Print>>The New Patriotic Party is pushing for an in-camera session with the Electoral Commission’s constituted committee to shed more light on its calls for a new voters register.
The party said the two-day stakeholders’ forum collating views about the voters register was not enough to exhaust concerns about the current register, which the NPP is questioning its credibility.
The NPP said it has discovered over 70,000 names of Togolese nationals in the register as well as minors. It therefore wants a new register for the 2016 general elections. The call has vehemently been rejected by the governing National Democratic Congress who preferred an auditing of the electoral roll.
The Electoral Commission formed a five-member committee chaired by former Supreme Court Judge and Electoral Commissioner Justice VCRAC Crabbe to collate views of the different political parties as well as civil society groups. The salient points would be put together as recommendations and presented to the EC to take a decision.
The NPP prior to today’s forum objected to the composition of the committee. It said the chairman VCRAC Crabbe and another member Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante have already taken a position which is contrary to what the NPP is calling for. It also accused a committee member Dr. Nii Narku Quaynor of being aligned to the NDC.
After the NPP’s position was presented by its former chairman, Peter Mac Manu on Thursday, the party’s General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong indicated to Joy News' Kwakye Afreh Nuamah the EC has been slow in responding to the party’s demands.
“Time is of essence,” he underscored, making reservations about the Committee's ability to take a decision based on the presentations that would be made in the two-day event.
“I think that basically the panel needs to do a lot more work, because I don’t think they can take a decision based on just the presentations we have made here.
“I hope that in-camera they can call people to do some more detail discussions.”
Principal Public Relations Officer at the Electoral Commission, Sylvia Annor told Joy News’ Joseph Opoku Gakpo the Commission was able to realise the objectives set for today.
“It all went very well,” she assessed today’s forum.
The EC, she said, would make a presentation today. Other stakeholders will also be given the opportunities to present their positions.