The Minister of Communications, Haruna Iddrisu, is fascinated why politicians seem to reason better and offer brilliant ideas when in opposition. At a two-day seminar to interrogate the viability of electronic voting and the challenges and advantages of a biometric voter register in Ghana for the 2012 general elections and beyond, he recalled that when in opposition, the NDC drew the government’s attention to the possible role-conflict the establishment of the National Identification Authority (NIA), could have with the Electoral Commission, but its concerns were treated with disdain. The Danquah Istitute, organizers of the seminar, believes the electronic system would provide transparency and more credible elections for the nation. "It appears to me sometimes, that in political opposition we offer more brilliant ideas than when we are in government. I say so because in the run-up to the establishment of the National Identification Authority, at that time the National Democratic Congress, which was the party in opposition, was strongly against the creation of a new bureaucracy to shepherd the National Identification exercise.” Mr Iddrisu reiterated that the party’s clarion call was informed by Article 45 of the Constitution which advocates for the independence and mandate of the Electoral Commission, "to lead the process in order that they easily, I emphasize, they easily could produce a credible voter register relying on the wholesale product of a national identification exercise”. However, he recounted, the NPP, then in government, “failed to heed this sound advice and created a new bureaucracy called the National Identification Authority, unfortunately or perceptibly, they are in competition with EC as to who has the mandate to produce a credible and reliable voter register.” The Communications Minister, who admitted his comment was meant to “provoke controversy” and enrich the debate, went further to taunt the current Minority Leader, Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, who recently made a fine argument as to how the two institutions - NIA and EC - could be coordinated for a credible and reliable voter register. “I am not too sure a few years ago what his position was on this matter,” he wondered. Mr Iddrisu further enumerated a number of reasons why Ghana cannot go biometric in the 2012 elections. Even though the minister conceded the current paper balloting is not the most reliable in the pursuit of credible voters’ register, he proposed the nation rather targets 2016 for the e-voting. He highlighted the lack of requisite ICT infrastructure, the lack of offices for the EC, unavailability of electricity at every polling centre, illiteracy and staff constraints among other logistical constraints as the reasons why the e-voting would not be possible in 2012. Story by Isaac Essel/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana