NPP: Ghana should forget about biometric system
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has proposed that if the processes leading up to the use of the Biometric Voters Register is not completed by the end of October 2011, the nation should forget about using the system for the 2012 elections.
The NPP indicated that the country is better off using the manual system for the 2012 elections looking at the nonchalant attitude of the Electoral Commission.
NPP Member of Parliament for Nsawam/Aburi constituency Hon. Osei Bonsu Amoah, popularly called O. B. Amoah said “by October when parliament reconvenes, if EC is not ready, then we are afraid that we should rather stick to the manual than the biometric registration.
“I don’t think we are asking too much. The EC started this process as far back as March 2010, we have not seen any progress and they have not officially spoken to any political party on these issues because there has not been any IPAC meeting to address these concerns”.
Mr. O. B Amoah was speaking on Citi Fm’s Eyewitness News on Friday September 23 in reaction to President Mills’ pledge that he would ensure that the 2012 election is free, fair, transparent and credible.
President Mills reiterated his commitment to ensure a violence free election when he addressed members of the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly which is currently on-going in New York in the United States.
The President in his address noted that his administration would ensure that the electoral commission is adequately resourced to conduct credible Presidential and Parliamentary elections in 2012.
The President also used the opportunity to call on the United Nations and the international community for that matter to monitor Ghana’s polls in 2012.
Although these promises have been made severally, some political parties especially the opposition NPP has been very critical about the Electoral Commissions’ attitude towards the successful implementation of the biometric register.
They have accused the EC of not actively involving the parties in the entire biometric process so they can be abreast with the technicalities of the process.
The Electoral Commission has however failed to comment these growing concerns being raised by the NPP.
The NPP has however suggested a remedy to this issue, asking the EC to convene an IPAC immediately so that together “they can help restore credibility and ensure that all the ‘Accra Principles of Electoral Justice’ are implemented for the 2012 elections”.
Source Citifmonline Ghana
Category: Politics
