EC Reverses Directive Barring Political Party Agents From Vote Transfer Centres After NDC Outrage

• The Electoral Commission has reversed its directive to stop political party agents from observing the vote transfer exercise
• The NDC kicked against the directive issued by the Electoral Commission to keep political party representatives from the vote transfer exercise
• The commission's directive came after four people were injured during a clash at the Kasoa Electoral Commission office

The Electoral Commission has reversed its directive to stop political party agents from observing the vote transfer exercise.

The commission announced the reversal of the decision at a press conference on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

The Deputy Commissioner in charge of Operations at the Electoral Commission, Samuel Tettey, said the decision to reverse the ban was taken after extensive deliberations. The commission also released a statement confirming its decision.

"The Commission has directed its Officers at the Districts to allow Agent of Political Parties to observe the Transfer of Votes Exercise with effect from tomorrow Wednesday, 5th June, 2024."

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The commission's directive came after four people were injured during a clash at the Kasoa Electoral Commission office.

The National Democratic Congress had criticised the move and expressed fears that this would lead to gerrymandering.

The NDC flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, also said the move suggests collusion with the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rig the general elections.

One of the NDC's main concerns with the process has been the prospect of gerrymandering to affect the outcome of certain parliamentary polls.

Per the Constitutional Instrument (C.I.) governing the elections, the Electoral Commission is not obliged to admit political party agents as observers of the vote transfer.

However, the commission must give copies of the list of votes transferred to political parties and candidates upon request.

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Violence during voter registration

YEN.com.gh reported that there was a clash between supporters of the NPP and NDC in Awutu Senya West on May 7, 2024.

The clash occurred during the first day of the voter registration exercise because of a dispute over the registration order.

The Asutifi South MP, Collins Dauda, was also arrested for his alleged involvement in disturbances at Kukuom during the registration exercise. One person sustained an injury and received treatment at the hospital following that incident on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

Proofread by Edwina N.K Quarcoo, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh