President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has described the newly-compiled voter register by the Electoral Commission (EC) under the watch of EC Chair Jean Mensa as the “most credible voter register” in the history of the country.
The President made the comments on Sunday, 16 August during the delivery of his 15th COVID-19 address to the nation.
President Akufo-Addo noted that the country’s democratic institutions continue to effectively function even in the outbreak of the pandemic.
He stated: “Fellow Ghanaians, the remarkable nature of us, the Ghanaian people, the first colonised people in sub-Saharan Africa to gain their freedom and independence from foreign rule, is manifesting itself again. In the midst of the pandemic, we have been able to compile a voters’ register, arguably, the most credible voter register in our history; our democratic institutions continue to function effectively.”
He noted that the current generation is witnessing the building of a healthy country.
President Akufo-Addo said: “Indeed, a stronger, healthier Ghana is being built before our very eyes, and the great majority of Ghanaians can see it. Let us continue down this path, so that the dreams of freedom and prosperity that inspired the great patriots, who founded our nation, can find expression in our generation.”
The President further commended the Electoral Commission (EC) for a successful compilation of a voter roll for the upcoming 7 December polls.
“The Electoral Commission has completed the successful compilation of a new register ahead of the conduct of the 2020 general election.
“On behalf of the people of Ghana, I congratulate warmly, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Ms. Jean Mensa, her two deputies, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare and Mr. Samuel Tetteh and the entire Commission for their efficient, safe and transparent nature of the registration exercise.”
The total number of people captured in the new voter roll is 16,932,492.
The EC says the exercise, which ended on Sunday, 9 August 2020, was successful, as it was “inclusive, participatory, orderly and peaceful.”
Meanwhile, the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for an independent audit of the new voter roll.
According to the NDC, the independent audit will check issues of multiple registration and de-duplication on the voter roll.