EC is not deceiving Ghanaians -Charlotte Osei

The Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Mrs. Charlotte Osei has rejected assertions that she is deceiving Ghanaians by pretending to have written letters to request for the Togolese voters register, but was denied.

Mrs. Charlotte Osei insisted that she officially wrote letters to the Togolese EC chair to demand a copy of their register but their response was that they could not grant the request because the register was a security document; hence it could not be given to a thirty party.

Some opposition parties in the country led by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are demanding the compilation of a new voter’s register claiming that the current voter’s register is over bloated.

The NPP claimed over 76,000 Togolese nationals whose names appear on Togo voters register are also on Ghana’s electoral roll.

This NPP argument renders the current voters register not credible to be used for this year’s General Elections.

In a statement issued by EC to respond to NPP’s allegation EC chairperson, Mrs. Charlotte Osei stated that, EC was unable to verify the authenticity of the controversial Togolese register and rejected proposals for new voters register outright.

Although, the party is yet to issue a statement to state it official position on EC’s response on the matter, some leading members of the party believes EC chairperson is being tactical just to discredit NPP and apparently deny Ghanaians credible register.

In an interesting twist, Masseme Esse, an advisor to Jean Pierre Fabre, the leader of Togo main opposition party yesterday confirmed that the register NPP presented to EC is the exact copy of Togo voters register.

He was doubtful whether Ghana’s EC wrote to Togolese EC chairman to request for a copy of the register and was denied since the register is a public document.

Speaking to Oman News Mrs. Charlotte Osei who defended the commission decision to maintain the current register promised to make available copies their letter to Togolese EC if the need arises.

“You can come to our office and we will give you copies of our letters we wrote to the Togolese Electoral Commissioner and a copy his of response to us, “the confident looking EC boss promised.

Mrs. Charlotte Osei also sounded a strong warning that the EC will not be pushed into taking decisions by a political party.

“An electoral management body should never be stampede into taking decision by a political party. That is why the constitution gives you independence. People may try to stampede but you have to stand your ground and do what is right,” she stressed.

She added that although the EC is willing to listen and examine views from various quarters and take it on board when it has to, the right and legal thing must always be done and “in accordance with the law.”

Story by: Michael Creg Afful

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