Misguided pronouncements by EC officials can lead to political violence

Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-GH) is deeply worried by unfortunate utterances by some officials of the EC.

On Saturday, 25th January, 2020, the Director of Electoral Services at EC, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe is reported to have said on a TV3 News Analysis Program, The Point that the EC’s decision to compile a new voters’ register is final.

In the said interview he was alleged to have said “You can’t get consensus anywhere; it can never happen and it will never happen. If we want to get consensus before we act, then we will never act,”

The eminent advisory committee advised for talks between the EC and its stakeholders leading to the suspension of demonstrations by the inter party resistance coalition . The said statement made by the Director of Electoral Services could only be described as display of bad faith and betrayal of trust which should not be tolerated by anyone. It only led credence to the fact that the EC does not believe in participatory decision making. Again, the statement by Dr. Quaicoe in total disregard of the advice offered by the Eminent Advisory Committee can only be said to be gross disrespect to the Emile Short led Advisory Committee.

Let it be on record that majority of Ghanaians are becoming suspicious of the Public Relations (PR) gimmicks being employed by EC to compile the new register at all cost. The hide and seek approach by the EC is not helping matters. Again, the suspicion by the inter party resistance group that the EC has a sinister motive to rig the elections for the governing party through voter suppression is a critical issue worth discussing.

It all started with Mad. Jean Mensa and Dr. Bossman Asare with their hate and contradictory public pronouncements on the controversial register. The duo were not able to take the backlashes from the Ghanaian public so, Dr. Samuel Tetteh together with Dr. Serebour Quaicoe were brought in to continue with the hatched plan.

The question therefore is if the above mentioned commissioners are now the spokespersons for the EC, then what becomes the work of Sylvia Annor, the official spokesperson that we know?

Another question is why is the EC hell bent on compiling a new register at all cost against the will of the Ghanaian people? What is the motivation even in the face of stiff opposition?

Without any shred of biases, Article 46 of the 1992 constitution which the EC is using a trumpth card to compile the register does not guarantee the EC absolute independence. For the avoidance of doubt , Article 1 of the same constitution also stated emphatically clear that sovereinghty of Ghana resides in the collective will of the people. So the EC cannot bev completely right on the debate for its independence.

In fact, the unilitaral decisions being taken by EC on important electoral issues is dangerous and must be a great concern to all Ghanaians and development partners alike for it is said that coming events cast their own shadows.

By this release, we are calling on traditional authorities, National Peace Council, the Office of the National Chief Imam, faith based organizations, former presidents of the republic, CSOs, ECOWAS, AU, UN, among others to impress on the EC to suspend the compilation of the new voters’ register for we cannot trade our peace, security and democratic credentials for anything.

(Sgd)

Mr. Richard Kasu

(EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
0248640364

Cc:

1. Justice Emile Short, Chairman Eminent Advisory Committee
2. Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, Director of Electoral Services, EC
3. HRH, Otumfour Osei Tutu II, Asantehene
4. Togbe Afede XIV, President of National House of Chiefs
5. Chairman, National Peace Council
6. Executive Director, WANEP
7. Chairmen of all political parties
8. Members of the Diplomatic Corps
9. Chairperson of ECOWAS
10. Chairperson of African Union (AU)
11. General Secretary of United Nations (UN)
12. The National Chief Imam
13. All Media Houses