It is incumbent on EC to table NDC’s proposal for electoral reforms – Dr Asah-Asante

A Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Kwame Asah-Asante, has advised the Electoral Commission (EC) to consider the electoral reform proposal by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The NDC, after a series of consultations, proposed some electoral reforms, which they advised are geared towards restoring the credibility and integrity of Ghana’s electoral process.

However, after delivering the document to the EC headquarters in Accra, the EC directed the opposition party to discuss its proposal before the Interparty Advisory Committee (IPAC).

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, Dr Asah-Asante said it is vital to welcome any idea that will improve the electoral process, not necessarily from a particular group of people.

“They should listen to the NDC. The NDC has made this proposal, and it is incumbent on the EC if it really wants reform, to look at it and table it where it wants to table it,” he said.

“Unless, of course, you want to tell us that it should come from a particular group of people and it should be tabled at a particular place, and then we begin to look at it, otherwise then we are not receptive to knowledge and reforms,” he added.

He quizzed whether the EC would have accepted the proposal should it come from a different group other than a non-IPAC member or not.

“That argument cannot be sustained,” he noted.

The NDC party, in its proposal, outlined 34 electoral reforms after it earlier boycotted an Electoral Commission led efforts towards reforms.

Therefore, the lecturer suggested that the Commission invites other people to assist in assessing the proposal and discuss it, not necessarily IPAC, as he believes there are some positives in the NDC proposal.

“You can even extend an invitation to other people to come and look at it and see whether we can make sense of this.

“Let us remember that some of the things they [the NDC] put down, as I have already said, are things that exist already and, they are very good that will help the electoral process,” he noted.

“So I believe it is apt for the EC to look at this and handle it the way it ought to be handled, not necessarily by looking forward to it to be tabled at IPAC before you can look at it, then you are not ready to accept some of these proposals,” he stressed.

The party said it wants the appointment of EC Chairperson to have prior approval of Parliament whilst insisting the voting period of 7 am to 5 pm on Election Day be maintained.

Also, it suggests that the list of all polling stations to be used for an election with their names, code numbers, and locations should be published in the Gazette and as supplements in the state newspapers not later than 30 days.