Ghana’s Voters’ Register has improved over Time, but perfection isn’t the goal – Kweku Baako

In a recent discussion on Ghana’s electoral history on social media, seasoned Journalist Abdul Malik Kweku Baako shed light on the pivotal role courts have played in ensuring a clean voters’ register, noting that they have often directed the Electoral Commission (EC) to take necessary actions.

Baako cited the 2015 NHIS Cards Registration saga as a prime example, emphasizing that such precedents should inspire and motivate aggrieved citizens or corporate entities to take similar steps when they believe legitimate grounds exist.

He went on to explain how the EC, working alongside political parties through IPAC (Inter-Party Advisory Committee), has consistently reviewed, cleaned, and audited the voters’ register to ensure credibility—though he was quick to clarify that this pursuit has never been about achieving perfection.

Baako further clarified that, apart from the 1992 elections, which used a questionable 1987/88 voters’ register, every election since has seen progressively better voter rolls. He noted that while the 1996, 2012, and 2020 elections were conducted with completely new voters’ registers, those for 2004, 2008, and 2016 underwent rigorous reviews and audits beforehand.

See the full statement below;

“A careful scrutiny of contemporary Ghanaian Elections/Electoral History, shows that the Courts have helped cleaned the Voters Register by ordering the EC to do the needful.

“The recent examples cited on this thread, fall in the category of the 2015 NHIS Cards Registration saga.

“And these precedents should encourage and motivate similar initiatives by aggrieved citizens and/or corporate entities to pursue such course of actions, if and when there are legitimate grounds for them.

The same history also indicates that the EC in collaboration with the Political Parties through the instrumentality of IPAC, had/have undetaken reviews, cleaning and auditing of the Voters Register over the years ; in pursuit of a credible (I didn’t say PERFECT!) Voters Register for Elections in the 4th. Republic.

“For the avoidance of doubt, apart from the 1992 Elections which was run on the basis of a patently dubious 1987/88 Voters Register, all subsequent Elections have seen/ saw progressively improved Voters Registers.

“While Elections 1996, 2012 and 2020 were run on basis of New Voters Registers, those of 2004, 2008 and 2016 went through periodic reviews, cleaning and auditing prior to the Elections under reference.

“A critical scrutiny of EC/IPAC Communication and Literature would vindicate the preceding observations.

“Reviews, Cleaning, Auditing and Compilation of New Voters Registers have been part of the arsenal in pursuit of a better Election Architecture and Electoral Transparency in Ghana since 1996!

“In 2008, the Afari Gyan-led EC set up a 5 member Committee to probe the NDC’s allegations of ‘bloated’ Voters Registers in 13 Constituencies in the Ashanti and alleged decline in 3 Constituencies in the Eastern Region.

“The Committee found out that the allegations were either exaggerated or false.

“However, some human and operational errors were detected. And appropriate recommendations made to cure the challenges to the satisfaction of all stakeholders prior to Election 2008.
For the 1996 , 2012 and 2020 Elections, as already indicated, Fresh New Voters Registers were applied.

“The Voters Register for Elections 2016 went through a process of cleaning and auditing via the established procedures and protocols; or via the TRADITIONS AND CONVENTIONS as described by Mr. Asiedu Nketia at the Public Forum on 29th. October, 2015.

“Indeed, that route was recommended by the Crabbe Panel which was set up by the Charlotte Osei-led EC.

“Today, I hear calls for an INDEPENDENT FORENSIC AUDIT to clean the Voters Register.

“Respectfully, I am not sure what “animal” that might be within the context our laws. And how different would it be from the TRADITIONS AND CONVENTIONS Asiedu Nketia spoke about; which incidentally, the Crabbe Panel recommended.

“As a people and a nation, we have established the precedents, enduring procedures and protocols: TRADITIONS and CONVENTIONS to clean and audit the Voters Registers for the last seven Elections!

“We can and must do same for Election 2024!

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