EC to dialogue with parties over new voters’ register

The Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) has been advised by its recently constituted Eminent Advisory Committee to engage further with political parties over the decision to secure a new biometric voter management system. The advice was given by the committee of 21 eminent persons led by Justice Emile Short after a crunch meeting held on Wednesday, January 15. The meeting was held following agitations by some political parties and civil society groups against the move by the Commission. Known together as Inter-Party Resistance Against a New Voters’ Register (IPRNA), the parties staged a demonstration last Sunday in the Northern Region capital town of Tamale. The ‘Tikusayi’ demonstration attracted scores of supporters as well as leaders of some of the major opposition parties. As a result of the tension that is brewing due to the decision by the EC to go for a new register, the committee of eminent persons advised that a wider consultation is held. It was therefore agreed that the Commission meets the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) in the presence of the Eminent Advisory Committee to dialogue further. Already, Parliament has approved a budget of GH¢400 million for the compilation of the new register. Source: editors.3news.com|Ghana