Admit SDA members on special voters list – Dr Bryan Acheampong appeals to EC

Minister for Food and Agriculture and New Patriotic Party (NPP) member of Parliament for the Abetifi Constituency in the Eastern Region, Dr Bryan Acheampong, has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to take steps that will allow members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) to vote together with state agencies and security officials who will be voting as part of the special list of voters.

Dr Acheampong says the SDA has approximately 800,000 members in Ghana who are currently disenfranchised due to their religious beliefs, which prohibit them from engaging in any activity, including voting, on Saturdays.

The cabinet minister made the call in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle. In the post, he emphasised the importance of ensuring that all eligible citizens, regardless of their religious affiliations, can exercise their democratic right to vote.

“Kindly join me in calling on the EC to allow the Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) to vote with the security agencies. The SDA has an 800,000+ strong Ghanaian membership that is disenfranchised because, by their faith, they do not work on Saturdays and, therefore, do not vote,” his post read.

Background

Earlier this year, the Adventist Church wrote to the Electoral Commission proposing that this year’s election day be held on Tuesday in November, a move that would allow all Ghanaians, regardless of religious affiliation, to participate fully in the democratic process without compromising their religious observances.

The EC in its reply said it would consider the proposal. The Seventh-day Adventist Church expressed gratitude for the Electoral Commission’s willingness to consider this significant adjustment in the future and said the decision symbolised the spirit of dialogue and mutual respect that characterizes Ghana’s democratic landscape.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church reaffirmed its commitment to supporting and engaging in constructive dialogue with all stakeholders to promote a democracy that embraces the diverse religious fabric of Ghana.

Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra

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