As the country prepares for the 2016 general election, one issue that appears to be a stumbling block is the ongoing debate on the credibility or otherwise of the voters register.
What make it even more disturbing and irritating are the antagonistic positions taken by the two leading political parties – the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
One would have expected the two political parties to have canvassed their positions without creating any impression that nothing can change their stance on an important national issue as the voters register.
Happily the Electoral Commission (EC) has heeded the call by constituting a five-member panel of eminent persons to hold a two-day public hearing on reasons advanced by the various political parties and the general public on the register.
An EC statement at the weekend explained that “the panel will conduct the hearings in a free, transparent and objective manner and hearings will also be broadcast live on radio and television and the Internet for the benefit of Ghanaians who cannot attend but wish to follow the proceedings”.
The Daily Graphic wishes to advise the panel, which begins its work today, to work in a fair and transparent manner to meet the expectations of the citizenry to put this thorny issue to rest once and for all.
We appeal to all stakeholders, political parties, their supporters and all interest groups to ensure that peace prevails during the exercise.
The nasty scenes that have often characterised the compilation and exhibition of the voters register in the past cannot be revisited. The tendency of certain groups and individuals to intimidate or harass perceived political opponents can no longer be tolerated.
Such destructive tendencies should be avoided as they would affect the smooth and successful conduct of the exercise. The security agencies must also help to ensure that peace, law and order prevail.
Ghana has always been a trailblazer when it comes to this and the international community will be watching and following the event with keen interest and we cannot let the nation down.
Fact is that at the centre of all this is the issue of a credible voters register for the conduct of the 2016 elections and beyond. It is not only an ideal for democracy but also a pertinent determinant of our national stability.
All those involved in this exercise must regard it as a national challenge and approach the task with utmost levels of transparency, integrity and credibility, since the outcome of the exercise is going to determine the direction the country would go in the next decade and beyond.
The peace and stability of Ghana will depend on how truthful the outcome of the panel’s assignment would be.
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