Pressure group Election Watch Ghana has expressed shock and dismay at the explanation the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) has given over its concerns regarding the voter register for the December 7 elections.
It described the EC’s explanation as a “blatant lie”, revealing that only the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) was handed the register ahead of Tuesday’s exhibition “and this was done in a clandestine manner, mere minutes after our media address at the EC headquarters yesterday”.
Election Watch Ghana also took on Deputy EC Commissioner Dr Eric Bossman Asare over his claims that it is not registered.
“We are a fully registered organization, and his statement is a clear attempt to discredit and intimidate us.”
All these were contained in a statement issued on Tuesday, August 20.
Find the statement below:
Election Watch Ghana Condemns Electoral Commission’s Deception and Partisanship
We are appalled and dismayed by the blatant falsehoods peddled by the Electoral Commission (EC) during their recent press conference. The EC’s claims are a clear indication of their desperation to cover up their gross incompetence and partisan bias.
Firstly, the EC’s assertion that they have distributed the Provisional Voter Register to all political parties is a blatant lie. The truth is that only the NDC has received the register, and this was done in a clandestine manner, mere minutes after our media address at the EC headquarters yesterday. This shady maneuver was a clear attempt to reduce pressure on the EC.
Secondly, the EC’s claim that Election Watch Ghana should have written to them for a response is a feeble attempt to deflect accountability. We have been writing to the EC since early this year regarding the missing BVRs, only to be met with deliberate silence. Their claim of independence does not absolve them of their responsibility to respond to legitimate concerns.
Furthermore, we take umbrage with Deputy EC Chair Bossman Asare’s baseless assertion that Election Watch Ghana is an illegally operating group. We are a fully registered organization, and his statement is a clear attempt to discredit and intimidate us.
We demand that the EC immediately releases the Provisional Voter Register to all political parties, as is their statutory obligation. Their continued partisanship and deception will not be tolerated. We will continue to hold them accountable for their actions, and we will not rest until transparency and fairness are restored to our electoral process.
Sincerely,
Election Watch Ghana
