”They Have To Come Back Home and Register”?

The Electoral Commission of Ghana for the first time is compiling a biometric register to be used for the 2012 december polls. The exercise which begun on Saturday, March 24, 2012 will see people registering in 7,000 polling stations. The EC has so far deployed 45,000 officers to undertake this exercise.

Fundamentally, this biometric registration exercise is being undertaken to curb multiple registration and voting, as well as compile a credible voters register to replace the old one which many have argued was over-bloated.

One would have thought that the Electoral Commission will ensure that each Ghanaian get registered so that they can participate in making electoral decisions in Ghana.But obviously, the Commission has decided to disenfranchise well-meaning Ghanaians living abroad to partake in the democratic processes in Ghana.

The acting director of the Electoral Commission,Christian Owusu Parry has said that Ghanaians living abroad can only get themselves registered by travelling down to Ghana.This means they have to also go back to vote. It is most unfortunate and utterly shocking, that the Electoral Commission did not take into considering Ghanaians abroad while budgeting for this exercise. In fact, the world Bank estimates that there are 900,000 Ghanaians abroad; meanwhile data from Ghanaian embassies even put the figure around 1.5 million. This is astronomical a number to ignore at a time the country is consolidating its democratic credentials, and therefore need the human capital to push the developmental agenda of the country forward.The economic and political gains Ghana has achieved is partly due to the contribution and participation of her children abroad, why should they be disenfranchised?. This action would only serve to demoralise people.

I am not sure the electoral Commission expect Ghanaian students and professionals who are on government scholarships just for short periods of time to come back and register; they can barely survive, they have just enough to survive. How do these people pay plane tickets to come only for registration? Isn’t this matured absurdity?

The Constitutional Review Commission recognised the views and inputs of Ghanaians in the diaspora, why can’t the Electoral Commission do same?

Passport holding Ghanaians Abroad could easily get themselves registered at the various embassies and consulates across the globe. When the provision had being made and people fail to register, it would have been clear that efforts were made to get Diaspora Ghanaians registered. Otherwise, as it stands now, the Electoral Commission and Government have failed to live up to their mandate of ensuring all Ghanaians 18 years and above cast their votes come december 2012 no matter where you live or reside.

It is not too late, If it is the matter of not being able to provide the machines and logistics at the same time to register Ghanaians abroad. There is a way out!. The Electoral Commission should set a new date and transfer for registration to be carried out abroad after the 30 days deadline in Ghana. The equipments being used in Ghana can be used again to register people!!!

As it stands now, the rights of Ghanaian citizens abroad to vote and take part in our electoral democracy has being sidelined and intentionally ignored.