Kwami Alorvi Questions Electoral Commission’s Avoidance of Independent Audit for 2024 Voters Register

On Thursday, September 12, 2024, Samuel Tettey, Deputy Chairman of Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) in charge of operations, criticized the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for not calling for a forensic audit of the 2016 voters’ register, which, according to him, contained entries of plants and animals.

This statement seemed uncharacteristic of Tettey’s usual style and suggested it might have been scripted by someone else. If it had come from Bossman Asare, the EC’s Deputy Chairman in charge of Corporate Affairs, it would have been seen as typical of his approach. However, regardless of the statement’s origin, Tettey’s comments raise a critical question: why is the Electoral Commission avoiding an independent audit of the 2024 voters register?

The adage among the Eʋe people, “a sheep that thinks it is soiling the environment for the people by dropping watery feces in town is rather soiling its own buttocks,” seems apt here. Tettey’s remarks appear to reveal the inefficiencies and incompetence of the Electoral Commission he has been part of since 2008. The pressing question is whether it was the NDC that compiled the 2016 register with such errors or the Electoral Commission itself.

The claim that the NDC forfeited its right to call for an audit of the 2024 register because it did not do so in 2016 is flawed. The NDC may not have demanded an audit before due to the different composition of the EC back then. The EC’s rhetoric about ensuring a credible voters register and fair elections is undermined by the persistent errors in the register.

If the EC has truly rectified the anomalies detected by the NDC, it should proactively seek an independent audit to confirm its corrections and restore credibility, rather than dismissing the NDC’s concerns. *The Need for Independent Oversight* The Electoral Commission must address the trust deficit caused by its perceived political bias and avoid turning into a contentious entity. The lack of transparency and accountability has shifted the focus from cooperation to confrontation.

Samuel Tettey, Bossman Asare, and Jean Adukwei Mensa should recognize that to gain public trust, the EC must allow independent verification of its work. Previous chairpersons like Dr. Afari Djan and Charlotte Osei demonstrated leadership by permitting audits, which helped restore trust and peace. Jean Adukwei Mensa should follow their example and take decisive action to address the current issues.

Conclusion

This is the only way to restore trust and demonstrate transparency. Jean Adukwei Mensa should step up and take responsibility, as both the current and future stability of Ghana’s electoral process depend on it.