Head of Media and Communication Studies at the Pentecost University, Dr. Frankie Asare-Donkor says calls by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for new voter registration has come at the wrong time.
At a news conference Tuesday, NPP’s running mate, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia alleged that 76,000 names of Togolese nationals who are registered to vote in their country can be found in the Ghanaian electoral roll and the Electoral Commission must get new voter register.
Whiles General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has accused the NPP of tribal politics as it dismisses as fraudulent and frivolous, the party’s claim that the voters’ register is bloated.
But reacting to the claims by the NPP on Adom FM’s “Burning Issues” programme with Afia Pokua, Dr. Asare-Donkor says new voter register is not penance for free and fair 2016 general elections.
“I wish the NPP had been more vigilant during the time of registration and exhibition exercise because their poling agents were not serious during the process” Dr. Asare-Donkor emphasized.
He stated that the various political parties must get serious and dedicated polling station agents who are ready to die for the party during such exercise.
“I personally went round during the registration and exhibition exercise ahead of the 2012 elections, but I observed that most of these party agents were not serious about the process because some of them were hungry” the lecturer lament.
Dr. Asare-Donkor stated that NPP’s call is in the right direction ahead of the 2016 crucial elections but to him it’s too late for the Electoral Commission to open new voter registration.
“NPP’s suggestion is very, very good but I think the call should have come way back during 2012 not now” Dr. Asare-Donkor emphasized.
The head of Media and Communication Studies at the Pentecost University stated that the various parties must all agree to the NPP’s call at the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting before the EC can go ahead with new voters register.
He said that even if the EC agree to carry out a new voter registration exercise without proper supervision from the party’s agents the voter’s register will still not be clean.
