The Minority Group in Parliament has announced a series of actions aimed at rallying mass support in its quest to stop the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) from laying a new constitutional instrument (CI) before the House.
“Ladies and gentlemen from the media, the Minority Caucus in the coming days will collaborate with the National Democratic Congress to hold a major forum on this subject,” said Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson.
“This will afford us an opportunity to further explain these issues for the understanding of the Ghanaian populace.”
The Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam Member (MP) also indicated that given the critical nature of the issues, the Minority Group will also “be engaging a broad spectrum of stakeholders including our developing partners, our faith-based organisations, traditional authorities, civil society organisations to get them to appreciate the issues at stake and the consequences this bodes for Ghana’s democracy and stability”.
Dr Ato Forson made this known on Wednesday, March 1 while addressing journalists at a news conference in Parliament.
He said the new CI being proposed by the EC will override the previous CI 9 and CI 126 on continuous voter registration processes in Ghana.
The new CI seeks to make the Ghana Card the sole document for voter registration.
On Tuesday, February 28, the Chair of the Commission, Jean Adukwei Mensa, appeared before the House, specifically the Committee of the Whole, to brief members on the new CI.
It was at the instance of the Speaker, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.
Mrs Mensa indicated that the card issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA) was not going to be used to vote in the 2024 elections but to only register.
“The use of only Ghana Card will ensure and guarantee the credibility of the register and elections, prevent enrolment of minors, prevent foreigners from voting, eliminate the guarantor system which is prone to abuse,” she insisted.