The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has acknowledged receipt of a petition from the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which raised concerns over discrepancies in the Provisional Voters Register (PVR) ahead of the 2024 General Elections.
The NDC argued that these discrepancies rendered the register unfit for use and called for a forensic audit. In response, the EC has categorically rejected the call, emphasizing that the PVR is only a draft and that mechanisms are in place to address such anomalies.
In a letter dated September 17, 2024, the EC highlighted that the PVR is subject to corrections through legal and administrative processes outlined in Regulations 23 and 24 of the Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations, 2016 (C.I. 91), as amended by C.I. 126.
The Commission explained that the PVR, generated after voter registration, is designed to undergo scrutiny during an exhibition exercise at polling stations nationwide, where errors are identified and rectified before the Final Voters Register is produced.
The EC acknowledged that discrepancies are inevitable in any voter registration exercise but assured that most issues raised by the NDC had already been resolved.
The EC had previously requested the NDC’s data on the alleged discrepancies to demonstrate this but noted that it had yet to receive the data. The Commission reiterated that had the NDC followed through with this process, they might have reconsidered their demand for a forensic audit.
The Commission outlined its four-pronged approach to cleaning the PVR, which includes corrections at exhibition centres, scrutiny by electoral officers, and reviews by IT staff.
The EC expressed confidence in this process, which was successfully implemented in 2020, noting that no voter was denied the opportunity to vote in that election.
In addressing specific claims made by the NDC, the EC responded to allegations of voter transfers, missing voter data, and corrupt or incomplete information.
The Commission clarified that higher-than-expected transfer figures in the PVR were due to the inclusion of transfers dating back to 2020. It also admitted that 38 unauthorized transfers in the Pusiga district had been reversed and that the responsible officer had been dismissed.
Regarding the NDC’s claims of missing voters, the EC explained that these individuals were not deleted from the register but were likely listed under various categories such as the Exceptions List, Multiples List, or Transfer List.
The EC affirmed that all registered voters could be accounted for through the Voter Management System, which maintains a complete audit trail of voter movements.
The EC assured the NDC and the public that its IT system is secure, acknowledging that while no system is perfect, it has mechanisms in place to detect and rectify errors.
The Commission cited the reversal of unauthorized transfers as evidence of its ability to maintain system integrity.
In conclusion, the EC dismissed the call for a forensic audit as premature, emphasizing that the legal and administrative processes for cleaning the PVR have not yet been exhausted.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and urged the NDC to continue engaging with it to resolve any remaining concerns ahead of the 2024 elections.
The EC also noted that due to time constraints, a re-exhibition of the PVR at all polling stations would not be feasible, but an online exhibition would remain available to voters until Election Day.
The Commission assured the public of its readiness to deliver a credible and robust Final Voters Register for the 2024 General Elections.
