Franklin Cudjoe slams EC for refusing to expand voter registration venues

The founder and president of IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has strongly criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for refusing to expand venues for the ongoing voter registration exercise.

In an interview on Citi TV‘s political talk show, The Big Issue, Cudjoe accused the EC of using a “Machiavellian approach” in its dealings, thereby disenfranchising the majority of Ghanaians.

He also took a swipe at the EC for announcing that it would revise the number of registrants.

“Recently, they came out with some analysis that they are revising the numbers that they thought they were going to register. Why would you want to do something like that? Just allow people to register in many registration centres,” Cudjoe said.

He advised the EC to be pragmatic in its approach, praising the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Boss, Joseph Whittal, for kicking against the EC’s stance.

However, Cudjoe lambasted the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) for being silent about the attitude of the leadership of the EC.

“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 section of the public has voiced their disapproval of the EC’s choice to limit registration centres to district offices, which are often located inconveniently for many eligible voters.

Both the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and various civil society organizations have called on the EC to expand the registration exercise to more accessible locations.

However, the EC has maintained its stance and proceeded with registration solely at its district offices.