EC calls for IPAC meeting

The Electoral Commission (EC) has scheduled an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting for Monday, September 30, 2024, at its headquarters. The primary focus of the meeting will be the electoral register, amid growing concerns about its integrity ahead of the 2024 general elections.

The announcement follows demands from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for a forensic audit of the Provisional Voter’s Register (PVR). The NDC highlighted discrepancies in the voter roll as part of a petition submitted after their September 17, 2024, demonstration.

Despite these concerns, EC Chairperson Jean Mensa has dismissed the need for such an audit. The EC insists that the existing legal and administrative processes designed to address issues within the voter register have not been fully utilized, making the call for a forensic audit premature.

In a letter addressed to NDC Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the EC expressed confidence in the current system, stating: “As a Commission, we believe that the legal and administrative processes for cleaning the PVR have not been fully explored to warrant the need for a forensic audit.”

The EC assured both the NDC and the public that it is working to address any discrepancies in the voter roll, just as it did during the 2020 general elections. The Commission confirmed that the same measures will be implemented for the upcoming 2024 polls.

To foster transparency, the EC invited the NDC to engage in discussions and observe the steps being taken to resolve issues within the electoral roll. The EC also addressed concerns about illegal vote transfers, revealing that a District Officer in Pusiga, Upper East Region, was dismissed for facilitating 38 illegal transfers, which have now been rectified.

In response to the NDC’s request for a re-exhibition of the voter register, the EC cited time constraints but reassured voters that an online version of the register will remain available until election day.

The EC concluded by calling for trust in the established processes and reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a transparent and credible election in 2024.