… but Coalition vows to continue with demo

The Inter-party Resistance Against the New Voter’s Register has vowed to press ahead with more demonstrations and other forms of protestation against the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to compile a new electoral roll.

A statement signed and issued by Bernard Mornah, on behalf of the group in Accra on Friday, said they would in due course announce the form, venue and dates for the protestations to demand immediate withdrawal of the Commission’s decision to compile a new register.

Last week, the group suspended its protest following calls for calm by the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, and the EC’s Eminent Advisory Committee to enable further deliberations.  

The suspension of the protests for one week pending engagement with the EC , according to the statement, was a sign of good faith to the EC, respect to the ECs Committee of Eminent Advisors and a show of immense regard to the Asantehene.

However, it said the group was unable to oblige with its earlier announcement of the momentary suspension of the planned protests, since the EC has gone ahead to announce April 18 this year as commencement of the compilation of the new register.

The statement explained that the actions of the EC was in bad faith and showed lack of respect for its own Eminent Advisory Committee and civil society organisations (CSOs) involved in resolving the impasse.

 “In a meeting of the resistance, held on Thursday, 23rd January, we took a disturbing note of the ECs declaration of April 18 as the beginning of the compilation of the new register and its subsequent publication in the state media without recourse to the planned engagement of stakeholders at a meeting scheduled for 30th January.

This we consider not only an act of bad faith but also an act of utter disrespect and disregard to the ECs own establishment, the Committee of Eminent Advisors and the civil society organisations involved in this discussions,” it stated.

The statement explained that the EC’s announcement indicating date for the commencement of the exercise was deliberate to spite the good conscience of the group and disregard the will of Ghanaians.

“It is our considered view that, the EC is taking the anger and the will of the people for granted by spiting the good conscience of the resistance in the invitation of political parties to a meeting with the Committee of Eminent Advisors for further deliberations on the said matter and yet going ahead to announce a date for the commencement of same,” it noted.

The statement further called for the inclusion of CSOs in further deliberation between the EC, Committee of Eminent Advisors and IPAC , as has been the practice at IPAC meetings.

BY TIMES REPORTER