The Electoral Commission (EC) says it will ask for money in next year's budget for the implementation of the Representation of the People's Amendment Law (ROPAL).

In response to the question as to whether the EC would request money to implement the law, the Chairman of the commission, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, told the Daily Graphic that "ROPAL is in stages and to the extent that we are in the preparatory stages, yes."

He, however, insisted that the money to be requested for was to fund the preparations towards implementing the law but would not discuss details of what he called "the preparatory stages".

"I am not prepared to discuss the details of ROPAL because it raises all sorts of sentiments in the public. We have a lot of work to do and we are about it. When we are ready we will let the public know," Dr Afari-Gyan is quoted by the Graphic as saying.

On a recent pastoral letter by the Christian Council, urging the government to provide adequate funding and also asking the EC to "come out with what it needs", Dr Afari-Gyan said it was a suggestion that had been well noted.

He said budget preparations for the EC had already started, stressing that the processes were long and the list tall.

Unwilling to be drawn again into divulging details of their requests, Dr. Afari-Djan said "We are gradually preparing."

Other sources close to the EC told the Graphic that the preparatory work for implementing ROPAL would include study tours to countries implementing similar laws for best practices in implementing the law and the continued search for the consensus of political parties, among other things.

They said for the successful implementation of the law, there was the need for consensus building among all the political parties in the country.

"This is especially so when, at the last Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting, some political parties walked out," the sources said.

A Deputy Chairman of the EC in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr David Kanga, had earlier explained that steps being taken to implement the law included consultations with political parties and traditional authorities.

ROPAL was passed in 2006 to enfranchise Ghanaians living abroad in line with Article 42 of the Constitution, but amid protestations from a section of the public.

Article 42 says "every citizen of Ghana, of 18 years of age or above and of a sound mind has the right to vote and is entitled to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda".

While some were of the view that the law had to be passed and implemented soon, others said the previous law did not bar any Ghanaian from voting and that the country did not have the resources or the capacity to carry the franchise to Ghanaians living abroad.

The pastoral letter of the Christian Council also asked the government to create the environment for a successful election in 2008 and a level playing field for all aspiring presidential candidates.



Source: Daily Graphic