As a critical stakeholder in the electoral process in Ghana, the Upper West Regional Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has noted with deep concern widespread infractions and discrepancies in the voter’s register in the region.
Addressing a press conference at the Upper West Regional NDC secretariat on September 16, 2024, the Regional Communication Officer of the NDC Issah Kantagyari said that, following the exhibition of the voter register in almost all the constituencies in the Upper West Region, the extent and magnitude of these discrepancies are so deep and has the potential to negatively impact the outcome of the 2024 elections.
“Ladies and gentlemen, in the west central constituency, for instance, a good number of registered voters, numbering about 27 bearing valid EC voter ID cards, could not find their names in the voters register. During the exhibition exercise that was recently carried out by the Electoral Commission, we also realized that some qualified voters have their names placed on the exceptional or multiple list”. He asserted.
Kentagyari opin that, some persons whose eligibility was challenged during the registration exercise still had their names intact in the provisional voter register, although they did not appear before the committee that was set up by the electoral commission.
The Communication Officer further noted that, they equally realized that at some polling stations, the number of registered voters in the register provided to the NDC is either less or more than what is contained in the provisional voters register.
He indicated that, at the Bamahu primary 1, and 2 polling stations, for instance, the total number of registered voters was 554 and 553, respectively but the registers given to the NDC in hard drive had 559 and 558, respectively.
This, the NDC said is a clear evidence of voter padding, which includes Kompaala Mosque, which had 443 as against 443. Also, at Central Mosque in Bamahu A and B, different figures were churned out against what was recorded.
“A lot of anomalies, such as special voters having their names both on the special voters list and the provisional voters register in category primary a and b. We realize that the EC printed the old version of the special voters register instead of the current one”. The Communication Officer said.
Another place of interest the Upper West Regional party cited with serious infractions was recorded is the Lambussie Constituency, where the total number of registrants in the provisional voters register indicated 30,856 registered voters, while the data given to the NDC had 29,475 total registered voters, a shortfall of 1381.
The Communication Officer of the Upper West Region further revealed that, the EC PVR had 582 voters while the total number of voters was 1,676, a difference of 1,094.
In Lawra Constituency, the EC’s register had a total of 26,846 while during the exhibition exercise, they realized a total of 27,392. Where from the additional 545 voters? He quizzed.
The Executive Committee of the NDC cited discrepancies in some places in the Nandom Constituency, including Kokoligu primary, Bekyeredeengangn, Gyodergangn, Bikyiiteng, Gbatakuuri, Bapula and Tampelle.
Based on these discrepancies, the NDC called on the general public, to join them on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 to embark on a peaceful protest to the Upper West Regional Electoral Commission office to demand for an independent forensic audit of the the voters register.
