The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has raised concerns over the certified voter register provided by the Electoral Commission (EC), claiming that essential voter data required to verify its accuracy and credibility is missing.

This issue was brought to light by Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, the NDC’s Director of Elections and IT, who expressed these concerns shortly after the release of the certified register to political parties on Wednesday, November 6.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Dr Omane Boamah asserted that the absence of critical data points from the voter register compromises its credibility and hinders the verification process.

• Read also: We now have a credible final certified register – EC says as they present 2024 register to parties

According to him, the omission of these details makes it challenging for political parties to conduct thorough checks on the voter database and ensure its integrity for the upcoming election.

Dr. Omane Boamah outlined specific data points that he believes are essential for transparency and credibility.

These include comprehensive National Voter Statistics, Regional and Constituency Voter Statistics, Absentee Voter Statistics, Gender Statistics, and data on Proxy Voters.

He emphasised that each of these categories is vital for assessing the register’s completeness and for validating the demographic distribution of voters.

The NDC official further stressed that without these statistics, it would be difficult for the party to monitor or verify the fairness of the electoral process, potentially affecting public trust in the system.

He called on the Electoral Commission to address these gaps urgently, arguing that providing full data transparency is crucial to maintaining confidence in the democratic process.

"You may recall that following the deep discrepancies identified in the provisional voters register we demanded a forensic audit, which the Electoral Commission turned down. That forensic audit awaits the EC from January 2025."

"But even before the first ballot is cast, the relevance of the forensic audit is beginning to show and shame those who clandestinely connived with the Commission to prevent the much-needed forensic audit of the register. Meanwhile, the audit of the IT system also remains outstanding."

"We must note that the competence, credibility and transparency of the EC is central to the integrity of any electoral process, and recent developments raise significant doubts about the Commission’s commitment to conducting a fair and impartial election."

"Yesterday, the 6th of November, 2024, as America was witnessing the re-election of a former President, the EC invited all political parties to receive copies of the final voters register. Shockingly, the register provided lacked essential voter data necessary for verifying its credibility," an excerpt of his post said.