Full Text: EC addresses matters arising from Voters’ Register exhibition exercise

The Deputy Commissioner of the Electoral Commission (EC) in charge of Operations, Samuel Tettey on September 12, addressed journalists on various issues arising from the recent exhibition of the voters’ register. 

Key among the issues he addressed is the call by leaders of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for a forensic audit of the register.

Please read on.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE EXHIBITION OF THE PROVISIONAL VOTERS REGISTER

This evening the Commission will address matters arising from the just ended Voter Exhibition Exercise which took place from 20th to 27th August, 2024.

1. The Commission held a meeting with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday, the 6th of September, 2024. The meeting provided an opportunity for the NDC to present their concerns with the Provisional Voters Register. As you may be aware the Provisional Voters Register was recently exhibited as part of processes leading to the preparation of the Final Voters Register ahead of the 2024 General Election.

2. In their presentation, the NDC indicated they had identified five issues with the Register. The NDC further stressed that the concerns they have identified would warrant the Electoral Commission to accept a Forensic Audit of the Voters Register to assuage the fears of Stakeholders. In addition, the NDC requested for re-exhibition of the Voters Register.

3. The Commission informed the NDC that the discrepancies they had detected were not new. The Commission noted that it had detected the same issues and had taken steps to correct them. The Commission reiterated that the essence of the Exhibition Exercise was to address all the concerns with the Provisional Voters Register and assured the NDC that the issues identified were being resolved. The Commission assured the NDC that the issues they had listed were typical issues that the law had provided remedies for, as stated in the Constitutional Instrument on the Registration of Voters (C.I. 91 as amended by C.I. 126).

4. The Commission explained that the law envisaged that discrepancies would arise following a registration exercise and provided remedies for fixing the discrepancies including the following:
•?Inclusion of omitted names
•?Objection to names of unqualified voters on the register
•?Removal of names of deceased voters from the register
•?Replacement of poor quality or damaged Voter ID Cards
•?Correction to wrong spelling of names
•?Correction to wrong registration centre codes
Misplaced polling stations
•?Amendment to other registration details (e.g. age, sex etc.) as a result of clerical error.

5. These discrepancies, the Commission indicated at the meeting were all being resolved. The Commission again highlighted that the essence of the Exhibition Exercise was to correct any discrepancies in the Provisional Voters Register before it was finalized for the General Election.

6. The Commission explained the four-pronged approach it had adopted to resolve the discrepancies in the Provisional Voters Register since 2020. This approach involved (1) District Electoral Officers checking their registers through the register viewers to ensure all voters who registered in their districts have their names and correct dates of birth in the register; (2) Exhibition Officers scrutinizing the copies of the register given to them to establish that all the names for each polling station are properly captured including the multiples and exceptions registers; (3) Voters who go to check their details at the Exhibition Centres or Online also provide information that help correct their details if need be; and (4) IT Staff who have access to the register viewer, work with our officers to correct discrepancies from the field.

7. The Commission indicated that it had adopted this transparent process involving key officers at all levels with the sole purpose of ensuring that all registered voters had their names in the Voters Register. It is important to note that, all of the discrepancies were identified by the Commission’s own internal processes. I am pleased to note that as we speak they have largely been resolved.

8. Nevertheless, the Commission assured the NDC that the issues they had raised would be investigated and a report produced and discussed with them. The EC requested a copy of the discrepancies identified by the NDC at the meeting. This was not given to the Commission. Unfortunately, several calls and requests to the NDC to obtain a copy of the discrepancies have yielded no results.

9. During the discussions, the NDC proposed that the Commission undertake a Forensic Audit. While the Commission did not reject the proposal for a forensic audit of the register, the question is, what purpose will a Forensic Audit serve? The NDC’s detection of discrepancies with the Provisional Voters Register is not new. As the Commission has maintained, that is the essence of the Exhibition Exercise. It is to correct discrepancies. This is what is being done, as has been the case in the past. It is not new.

10. The Commission is of the view that the Forensic Audit is not what is needed at this time. It is premature.

11. The Commission wishes to inform the General Public that, the Voters Exhibition Exercise in itself is an audit. The Exhibition offers an avenue for the auditing of the Register. It unearths discrepancies and allows for prescribed legal processes to correct the discrepancies. Perhaps this is the first time the NDC has taken interest in the Register; otherwise one would have expected them to call for such an audit of the 2016 Register which contained photos of plants and animals representing Voters. It is important to note that, contrary to what is being alluded, since 1992 the Voters Register has never been audited.

12. The Exhibition Exercise enables citizens to verify their details and allows for the unearthing of discrepancies in the register. Additionally, it provides for the correction of discrepancies in the Register. This is not new. This has been the practice since 1992. The process of cleaning and strengthening the Voters Register is well defined by law.

13. We have also noted comments by the NDC to the effect that “the very doctor that created the problem should not be the doctor that will resolve the problem. The EC must agree for an independent body to audit them.” The EC holds a contrary view to the position held by the NDC. We reiterate that it is the EC that is clothed with the responsibility and capacity to address discrepancies in the Provisional Voters Register. The Commission has been doing this since 1992. It has the experience to do this and does not require any external organization to do its work.

14. We reiterate that the Law makes provision for the self-auditing of the Voters Register through the Voters Exhibition Exercise. The Exercise makes available the provisional copy of the Register and allows citizens to verify their details and point out discrepancies with their details. Additionally, the same Law allows for the correction of these discrepancies by the EC at all levels from the field to the districts to the Head Office. This is the laid down, tried and tested process and it works. What then is the purpose of the proposed forensic audit? The Commission is of the view that such an audit will add no value whatsoever to the well-defined tried and tested processes documented for the cleaning and strengthening of the provisional voters register. The question is, should the forensic audit be conducted, who will fix the discrepancies in the register? The answer is it is the same Commission that will fix the discrepancies and that is what we are doing. It is for this reason that the EC is of the view that the call for a forensic audit is misguided. The Commission believes that, as has been the case in the past, the Exhibition Exercise will contribute to the strengthening of the Voters Register.

15. We entreat the NDC to trust in the EC to correct discrepancies in the Provisional Voters Register. This current leadership addressed this ahead of the 2020 Elections. It is relying on the same process to correct any discrepancies in the Register.

16. The Commission would like to assure the General Public and all Stakeholders that all identified discrepancies with the Provisional Voters Register are being corrected. To date the Register is almost near perfect as most of the discrepancies have fully resolved.

17. We have also noted comments from the NDC alluding to ghost names in the register. We are aware that there may be dead persons on the register because several persons die each year. One of the key purposes of the Exhibition Exercise is to allow relatives of the dead to initiate the process of expunging their names from the Register. The NDC indicated at the meeting that it had identified some 50,000 persons who were dead on the Register. The Commission once again requested the details of the 50,000 dead persons and assured the NDC that it would work with the District Assembly and Birth and Death Registry to expunge the names from the Register. As with the data on the discrepancies identified by the NDC, we are yet to receive the list of the dead.

18. The Commission strongly believes that the surest way to attaining a credible and robust Register is not through demonstrations. There is simply nothing to demonstrate about. This is because the Commission has repeatedly requested the data on discrepancies from the NDC to no avail. We are of the view that, the stance taken by the NDC will not produce a credible register. The Commission is of the view that the best place to resolve the issues they have identified is the discussion table. We urge them to submit details of the discrepancies they have identified to enable the Commission investigate the issues and demonstrate to them that the concerns they have, have been resolved. As indicated earlier the EC assured the NDC during the meeting that it would conduct a thorough investigation and report on the issues they had detected within a week. Why are they refusing to submit the data to enable the EC to investigate and provide a report?

19. The EC believes that the best way to ascertain the credibility and integrity of the 2024 Voters Register is the discussion table, not on the streets. Taking to the streets will not ensure a credible register. It will only cause tensions and suspicions which are unwarranted. We call on the former President, His Excellency John Mahama, an eminent and respected statesman of the Republic, to encourage and bring his party to the table as that is the best place to address issues and ascertain the truth regarding the Voters Register

20. We are confident that the former President will heed to our calls and do everything in his power to bring his party to the discussion table. On our part, we assure the NDC of a transparent process that would demonstrate to them that all their concerns have been resolved.

21. The Commission wishes to state that, almost all the discrepancies identified have to date been corrected.

22. As in 2020, the Commission is committed to providing the country and all Political Parties with a robust and credible Voters Register that will guarantee free, fair, transparent and credible General Election in December 2024. We urge the public to trust the EC to do this again and again.

Thank you.

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