A former Deputy Communications Minister in the Mahama administration has urged Ghanaians not to leave the fight against the Electoral Commission (EC)’s decision to compile a new voters’ register to only political parties.

Felix Kwakye Ofosu said the ¢444,846,663 which will be used in the compilation process is the country’s resources which are derived largely from citizens.

“The ¢440million is their [citizens] money. Money that can be used to resolve the most pressing problems of the country,” he Samson Lardy Anyenini on Joy News’ Newsfile programme, Saturday.

The EC in December petitioned Parliament to approve ¢444,846,663 for the compilation of a new voters’ register arguing that fingers cannot be read on the old register.

Also, they argued that some logistics needed for the upcoming election must be changed with new ones. Although they have received the legislature’s approval, there has been stiff opposition from some political parties and civil society organisations.

Parties like the National Democratic Congress (NDC), All People’s Congress (APC) and People’s National Convention (PNC) have refused to back the decision saying they are unconvinced with EC’s argument for a new register.

This has, therefore, led to the creation of a group, The Interparty Resistance Against the New Voters’ Register (IPRAN) who have embarked on a series of demonstrations in major cities of the country.

The Eminent Advisory Committee then called a meeting following the rising tension between IPRAN and the EC, which ended inconclusively, although the EC has already gone ahead to announce dates for the new voters’ register compilation.

Commenting on the development, Mr Kwakye Ofosu noted that the Commission, although independent, should not do as it pleases.

“They are not there to ensure the election of a particular person….It is wrong, and they [EC] must care about image and integrity,” he emphasised.

On his part, Dr Alidu Seidu, Senior Lecturer at the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana, said for an efficient dialogue to be achieved, the EC must adhere to the heeds of stakeholders involved to prevent tension in during the general elections.

”The EC has to listen, they have the mandate to conduct elections but there are several other stakeholders and it is not only political parties.

“They are key, but there are other stakeholders, CSOs are there and even we the people and that has been clearly stated by the constitution,” he explained.