Thousands of supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have been protesting nationwide, demanding an independent forensic audit of the country’s voter register.
Party officials said they have identified errors in the electoral roll for December’s nationwide poll that require correction. The election authority has stated that errors previously identified have been corrected.
In the capital, Accra, demonstrators, clad in red and white T-shirts, carried placards with inscriptions such as “We need justice in this election.” The NDC alleges discrepancies, including illegal name transfers, missing voters, and the inclusion of over 50,000 dead people.
NDC Director of Elections, Dr. Omane Boamah, stated that an independent audit of the electoral roll is the only way to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process. He mentioned that his party had suggested the Electoral Commission (EC) allow the UN Development Programme to facilitate the process, but this idea was rejected.
The EC has responded that calls for an audit are misguided and unnecessary, though the opposition warns that thousands of registered voters risk being disenfranchised if errors persist. The commission reiterated that mistakes highlighted previously have been corrected.
The Communications Director of the governing New Patriotic Party, Richard Ahiagba, stated that his party has “faith in the Electoral Commission’s independence to ensure a credible vote in December.”
Ghana is set to go to the polls in December 2024, in a two-horse race between John Mahama, the opposition candidate and former president, and current Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia. Both candidates are promising to fix the country’s poor economic situation.
