Majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu has led Parliament in shooting down reform proposals from the Electoral Commission (EC) for the 2024 elections.
The Chairperson of the Commission Mrs. Jean Adukwei Mensah has announced a number of reforms including closing polls at 3pm and doing away with the indelible ink.
On Tuesday, in the District Level Elections, the commission failed to deploy the indelible ink true to its decision.
Speaking in Parliament during approval of the budget of the EC, Member of Parliament for Sagnerigu AB Fuseini argued that the move by the EC violates the Public Elections Regulations, 2020 CI 127 section 33 (2) C which makes it mandatory for every voter to be marked after voting.
He therefore called on the speaker to call the chairperson of the EC to order.
Member of Parliament for Buem Kofi Adams also slammed the EC for the mess created during yesterday’s elections arguing the exercise has been postponed twice already and thus the commission has no excuse to get it wrong.
Asawase MP Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak revealed the failure of the EC to listen to advice to decentralize the limited registration exercise has resulted in voters being placed at wrong Electoral Areas which made it impossible for them to vote on Tuesday in the District-Level Elections.
The Asawase lawmaker also asked for the Commission to be called to order.
Deputy minority whip Ibrahim Ahmed on his part accused the government of distributing items to influence voters in yesterday’s exercise.
The Banda MP however disclosed such government backed aspirants lost because the electorate refused to be bought
Majority chief whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh questioned why the NDC MPs are linking failures of the EC to NPP Presidential Candidate and vice president Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
According to him the EC is an independent institution and thus must be made to answer for its own actions.
Majority leader in the strongest terms cautioned the reforms being proposed and implemented by the EC will be disastrous if allowed to stand.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Ibrahim Alhassan
