Ghana: EC Makes U-Turn On Ban, Grants Party Agents to Monitor Vote Transfer

5 June 2024
The Accra Times (Accra)
By Nii Marmah Boye

Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations at the Electoral Commission, Samuel Tettey, stated that the decision to reverse the ban was reached after extensive deliberations.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has rescinded its earlier decision and has agreed to allow political party agents to observe the vote transfer process.

On Sunday, June 2, 2024, the Electoral Commission issued a memo to its district officers, instructing them to deny political party agents access to the vote transfer centers, due to potential violent incidents at some locations.

The move drew criticism from some political parties and civil society groups, who condemned the directive as a threat to the democratic process and a potential for vote transfer irregularities

- Advertisement -The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, earlier in a Facebook post, said the Electoral Commission's decision to exclude political party agents from observing the voter transfer exercise is evidence to unfairly influence the outcome of the 2024 election in favour of the ruling party (NPP).

"The Electoral Commission's decision not to allow agents of political parties to observe the ongoing voter transfer exercise points to only one reason-- the EC's avowed determination to aid the ruling NPP in stealing the outcome of the 2024 elections. But as I have continued to repeat, and did the past weekend in Tongo, this collusion between the EC and the NPP will not work. They will fail!" Mr. Mahama wrote.

However in a press statement on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, the EC announced a decision to allow the party agents to observe the exercise.

Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations at the Electoral Commission, Samuel Tettey, stated that the decision to reverse the ban was reached after extensive deliberations.

"Following internal discussion and in consideration of the concerns of some stakeholders, the Commission has decided to revert to its decision made at IPAC. The Commission has advised its officers at the Districts to allow agents of Political Parties to OBSERVE the Transfer of Voter Excersie with effect from tomorrow Wednesday, June 5, 2024," an excerpt of the statement read.

Read the original article on Accra Times.

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