The Deputy Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has compared the current voters’ register to favourite staple food gari mixed with sand.

Abu Ramadan speaking at a press briefing on Thursday indicated that the register is not credible enough to undertake the 2020 general elections since some unqualified names are in it.

According to him, the voters’ roll has names of foreigners whereas some Ghanaians used the National Health Insurance card to register, instead of using the right qualifications.

“We are not saying the [current] voters’ register is full of foreigners but the truth is some people in the register are not Ghanaians and some Ghanaians used the NHIS card to register,” he stated.

He added, “Truth be told, the voters’ register and the NHIS registrants issue is a gari mixed with sand scenario and the only remedy that can separate one from the other is a new register.”

The Deputy Director-General of NADMO further stressed that although the Supreme Court ordered the Electoral Commission to remove unqualified names in 2016, the Commission was unable to completely carry out the order.

Thus, he said the EC’s decision to compile a new voters’ register is an appropriate step to create a credible voter’s register for the 2020 general polls.

“We applaud the EC and fully throw our weight behind them, as they embark on this all-important constitutional agenda.

“We humbly call on all well-meaning Ghanaians to give their full support to the EC as they take steps to do the needful by giving effects to judgments made by the Supreme Court,” he urged.

The New Voters’ Register

The Jean Mensa-led Electoral Commission in December 2019 asked Parliament to approve GH¢444,846,663 to enable it to compile of a new voters’ register as part of its activities for the year 2020.

According to the EC, a lot of fingers are cannot be recognised hence the call for a new one.

However, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and other opposition parties have sternly kicked against it.

They say the EC together with the governing New Patriotic Party is attempting to rig the 2020 election.

Carrying out a series of demonstrations across the country, the group has drummed home reasons for the EC not to compile a new register.

But, the Commission on Thursday released a comprehensive roadmap for the scheduled mass registration exercise to members of the various political parties at an IPAC meeting.

It indicated that the compilation of the new register  will start from late June 2020 and the process will be done within 40 days.