LMVCA: EC�s Steering Committee Must Have Representation From All Political Parties!

It is barely nine (9) months to the general elections in Ghana to elect the next President and Members of Parliament as the constitution demands but the activities of the Electoral Commission, the institution responsible for the election do not seem fair to a political pressure group ‘Let My Vote Count Alliance’ (LMVCA).

The Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA) has expressed deep worry over the strange action by the Electoral Commission (EC) as the nations prepares for this year's general elections in the selection of members of a "Steering Committee".

The group, in a statement copied to Madam Charlotte Osei, EC Chair, claimed the ruling party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is influencing the electoral body in an inappropriate manner, and asked that the EC dissolves the ‘NDC-Biased Steering Committee’ with immediate effect.

The political pressure group in its statement to the Electoral Commission has enlisted three wrong things which have happened since the beginning of election year;

“First, the EC, without explanation, continues to ignore the advice of its own Panel of Experts to clean up the voters' register by a process of validation of all registered voters.”

“Two, the EC, after ignoring to take such meaningful steps to clean up the register, went ahead to set a date for limited registration when it had made no actual preparation towards it. The date for that exercise is now in limbo. The machines for the registration exercise are not even properly serviced for the job”.

“With those two crucial issues still up in the air, the EC suddenly comes out to say it has put together a 10-member National Elections Steering Committee”.

Addressing the dislike of the actions of the EC, Mr. David Asante Convener of the pressure group on Okay Fm’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show indicated that the EC in its preparation towards the 2016 general elections is not really interested in holding a non-partisan, professional and efficient line for delivering on its constitutional mandate.

To him, it is wrong on the part of the EC to have three NDC members in a 10-member Steering Committee and still claims the committee is neutral and independent.

He warned that Mrs Charlotte Osei cannot hide behind the masked neutrality of the committee's composition and assume she will not be held responsible in the event of any electoral violence being recorded in this year’s election.

EC should dissolve the committee immediately but if it wants to maintain a partisan Steering Committee, then the EC should give a fair platform for all the other political parties to have a representation on the committee. Our minds will be at peace if the committee comprises of a representative from all the political parties and other stakeholders…”, he demanded.