‘Allow EC to compile new voter’s register’

The General Secretary of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Murtala Mohammed has asked Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to allow the Electoral Commission (EC) to execute its legal mandate of compiling a new voter register.

He said the decision by the EC to proceed with the compilation in the midst of opposition was not in breach of any law but in line with the powers bestowed on the body by the 1992 constitution.

“The continuous mud-slinging and maligning of the Electoral Commission will amount to nothing but an upsurge of anxiety and mistrust amongst the masses, which is dangerous to our democracy,” he said in a statement issued in Accra.

For months, the decision by the EC to compile a new register due to defects and higher cost of maintenance has been opposed by some political parties and CSOs who have proposed cleaning of the register instead.

But according to Mr Mohammed the EC had justified the need for the new register and accompanying devices on countless platforms and that Ghanaians should rather watch on and only blame the commission if anything went wrong in the election.

“But to insist on your divergent opinion and proceed to bastardise the Electoral Commission at every step of its way, is highly irresponsible,” he said.

Questioning the interest of IMANI Africa due to its continuous criticism of the EC and accusations, Mr Mohammed urged the think tank to go to court for redress and finality to the matter.

“Don’t get it twisted, for I am not against CSOs. They help shape our discourse and democracy. But they don’t always get it right. They should be circumspect in the things they say or do; for it has the tendency to destabilise this country,” he said.

BY TIMES REPORTER