To that end, the commission has called on the organizations that have the capacity to provide equipment for biometric registration to avail themselves of the opportunity.
This is in the line with the EC’s arrangement to replace the existing voters register that was compiled in 2004.
The Director of Communications of the EC, Mr. Christian Owusu-Parry, briefing the Daily Graphic yesterday, expressed the hope that the biometric technology would be ready for use in the next general election.
He could, however, not give a time frame within which the EC expects the technology to be ready, pointing out that a lot would depend on the response given to the advertisement of the expression of interest.
Given the widespread irregularities that characterized previous general elections, especially double registration and voting, as well as the involvement of minors in the polls leading to confusion, misunderstanding and violence, a strong case has been made for the introduction of a biometric voters register to address those challenges.
Since the last general election in 2008, political parties, civil society organizations and other concerned groups have intensified the appeal for the deployment of the biometric technology for Election 2012.
Another issue the EC is addressing is the recent request by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), for the commission to convene an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting as soon as possible to discuss critical issues pertaining to the conduct of successful and peaceful elections in 2012.
Mr. Owusu-Parry, confirming the receipt of a letter to that effect from the NPP, said the EC was reviewing the merits and demerits of the letter, after which it would respond accordingly.
He said there had not been an IPAC meeting for a while now because last year was meant for district level elections which were apolitical and so did not require any such meeting.
The IPAC, which constitutes representatives of the various political parties and the EC, was established in 1995, with the view to addressing pertinent issues to ensure the conduct of successful and peaceful elections.
---
Quelle/Source: Ghana Government, 18.02.2011
Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:
