The founder and president of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has voiced strong criticism against the Electoral Commission (EC) for its refusal to expand the venues for the ongoing voter registration process.
During an interview on Citi TV’s political talk show, The Big Issue, Cudjoe accused the EC of employing a “Machiavellian approach” in its actions, which he argued was disenfranchising a significant portion of the Ghanaian population.
Cudjoe also expressed disapproval of the EC’s decision to revise the expected number of registrants. He questioned the rationale behind such a move and urged the EC to permit registration at multiple centres for the convenience of the public.
He further advised the EC to adopt a more practical approach, commending Joseph Whittal, the head of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), for opposing the EC’s position.
However, Cudjoe criticised the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) for not speaking out against the EC’s actions and stance.
“I haven’t seen that of the NCCE. The NCCE has shut its mouth and eyes to all the things that are happening in the EC,” he pointed out.
A portion of the public has expressed dissatisfaction with the Electoral Commission’s decision to restrict voter registration centres to district offices, which are frequently inconveniently situated for numerous eligible voters.
Various civil society organisations and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have urged the EC to broaden the registration process to more accessible sites.
Despite these calls, the EC has stood firm in its position and continued to conduct registration exclusively at its district offices.