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The Electoral Commission has denied allegations regarding the prevention of NDC party agents from monitoring registrations at some Senior High Schools.
The Commission, in a statement, insisted “it did not prevent any Party Agent from
observing the Registration Exercise” as is being alleged.
It said in line with laid down procedures, it informed all political parties about the planned exercise and requested to have their agents at the centres in the schools.
The commission in its account said regarding the case of the Tepa Senior High School, it made available 16 kits for the exercise.
It said as part of measures taken by the School to protect the students against COVID-19, the authorities limited the agents for each political party to two, with the consent of the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party.
The Commission said midway through the registration process, the NDC expressed dissatisfaction with the number of their party agents present and, consequently, requested to have an agent monitor each kit.
The EC said the School authorities opposed the idea and called in security officers who restored calm for the continuation of the exercise without any intimidation or assault as alleged.
The Commission said, regarding the registration exercise at the Prempeh College, the agents of the NDC did not show up despite a notice to all political parties about the registration.
It said in the “spirit of transparency and accountability”, the Commission delayed the registration until 1300 hours, five hours after the approved start time of 0700 hours.
The Commission said the representatives of the NDC, however, arrived at the centre at 1700 hours, after 129 out of over 1,000 eligible applicants had been registered.
The EC believes that the allegations were calculated to discredit the registration
process and bring its name into disrepute.
The statement assured the commitment of the EC to a successful registration exercise and called for the support of all.
“The Commission entreats the General Public to disregard the allegations and work with the Commission to make the Registration Exercise successful.”
Below is the full statement
EC CLEARS THE AIR ON ALLEGATIONS REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF NDC AGENTS FROM OBSERVATION OF REGISTRATION AT SOME SHS
The Electoral Commission wishes to clarify allegations made to the effect that the
Commission prevented Political Party Agents of the National Democratic Congress
(NDC) from observing the Voters Registration Exercise at the Tepa Secondary
School and Prempeh College in the Ashanti Region. The Registration took place on
Saturday 18th July 2020.
The Commission emphatically states that it did not prevent any Party Agent from
observing the Registration Exercise at the above-mentioned schools as is being
alleged.
In line with laid down procedure, the Electoral Commission informed the Political
Parties about the planned Registration Exercise and requested to have their Agents
at each of the Centres in the various schools.
In the case of Tepa Senior High School, the Commission made available sixteen (16)
kits for the registration on the school’s campus. As part of measures taken by the
school to protect the students from contracting the COVID -19 virus, the school
authorities limited the agents for each Political Party to two (2) agents. Both the
NDC and the NPP agreed to this arrangement.
Midway through the registration process, the NDC expressed dissatisfaction with
the number of their Party Agents present. They consequently requested to have an
Agent monitor each Kit. The school authorities opposed the idea as they felt that it
would increase the number of persons present. In the wake of the disagreement,
the School authorities called in the security agents who restored calm. The
registration process continued thereafter. No person present was intimidated or
brutalized as is being alleged.
Regarding the registration at Prempeh College, the Agents of the NDC did not show
up despite a notice to all Political Parties about the Registration. In the spirit of
transparency and accountability, the Commission delayed the registration till
1.00pm, five clear (5) hours after the approved start time of 7am.
Representatives of the NDC came to the Centre at 5.00 pm, after only one hundred
and twenty-nine (129) out of over one thousand (1,000) eligible Applicants had
been registered. They called for the registration process to be halted due to the
fact that their Agents were not present. The process was halted to forestall unrest
to the peaceful exercise.
The Commission would like to state that the Political Parties were served with
notice about the Voters Registration Exercise, scheduled to take place on the 18th
of July 2020, in all Senior High Schools across the country. Additionally, the
Commission put out a public notice on the Exercise.
The EC believes that the allegations are calculated to discredit the registration
process and bring its name into disrepute. The Commission entreats the General
Public to disregard the allegations and work with the Commission to make the
Registration Exercise successful.