16/09/24
Story by George Yawson Vineh
Care for Free and Fair Elections Ghana (“CARE” GHANA) has announced its support and active participation in the upcoming nationwide demonstration captioned “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, PROTECT OUR VOTE DEMO” scheduled for 17th September 2024.
Endorsing the opposition National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) planned demonstration against the Electoral Commission (EC) in a press statement, “CARE GHANA” said the demonstration was meant to put pressure on the EC to address challenges associated with the voters’ register to ensure peaceful and transparent elections.
It added that the demonstration is a vital opportunity for citizens to collectively demand a credible, transparent, and accurate voter register, a cornerstone of free and fair elections in any
democracy.
According to CARE” GHANA “As a voting rights organisation, we believe that every vote counts. Any flawed or compromised voters register undermines the very foundation of democracy, denying individuals their fundamental right to vote. In recent times, there have been growing concerns over the integrity of Ghana’s electoral roll, with clear evidence of errors, omissions, and inconsistencies that threaten to disenfranchise countless citizens. Care Ghana considers this wholly unacceptable and a dangerous threat to our democratic values”.
Their reasons for proceeding with the protest are grounded in the following principles:
Protecting Voting Rights: The flaws in the provisional voter’s register could disenfranchise thousands of eligible Ghanaians, thereby undermining the right of every citizen to vote freely and fairly.
Good Electoral Governance: The credibility of our elections is non-negotiable. The refusal to audit the register casts doubt on the EC’s commitment to conducting a free and fair
election.
Electoral Accountability: It is the responsibility of the EC to ensure that all electoral processes are free from manipulation, bias, or error. Their failure to address the issues raised is a clear violation of their mandate.
Human Rights: Voting is a fundamental human right. Any process that hampers this right due to administrative incompetence or negligence is unacceptable.
Participatory Democracy: A functioning democracy thrives on the active participation of all citizens. An inclusive and accurate voter’s register is a cornerstone of this participation.
Transparency: Transparency is the bedrock of trust in electoral processes. By dismissing legitimate concerns about the register, the EC risks eroding public confidence in our democratic institutions.