In a growing controversy ahead of Ghana’s December 7th general elections, the Pro-NDC Youth Think Tank, PYDROID, has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to engage an independent audit firm to investigate alleged discrepancies in the national voter register.
Should the EC fail to comply, PYDROID, in collaboration with concerned youth groups, has vowed to organize a massive demonstration on September 17th to demand action.
Concerns Over Discrepancies
According to PYDROID, the EC’s passive response to serious issues identified in the voter register during the mandated exhibition exercise has raised alarms among civil society groups and the general public.
The group believes that the integrity of the upcoming election could be at risk if these discrepancies are not addressed. In a press release, PYDROID emphasized, “If nothing is visibly done, it could jeopardize the long-standing peace that Ghana has enjoyed.”
The voter register, PYDROID asserts, contains significant anomalies that must be addressed through a comprehensive forensic audit.
These irregularities, which the group describes as potentially deliberate or a result of negligence, have the potential to undermine the fairness of the electoral process.
Findings by PYDROID
Through their investigation, PYDROID uncovered several troubling issues with the current voter register, including:
- Illegal Voter Transfers: An estimated 243,540 illegal voter transfers from previous years were added to the 2024 transfers. Additionally, some names have been duplicated, further complicating the legitimacy of the register.
- Unidentified Transfer Paths: Over 15,000 voter transfers remain unidentified, sparking fears of fake voter registrations.
- Deleted Voters: Nearly 4,000 voters from the 2023 register have been deleted from the 2024 provisional list due to transfer-related issues.
- Missing Voters: Over 2,000 voters who were transferred to different polling stations were not listed on the Absent Voter List, a legal requirement.
- Corrupt Files: Certain files within the register contain corrupt data that prevent registered voters’ names and photos from being displayed.
Call for a Forensic Audit
PYDROID argues that only a forensic audit by an independent and well-recognized audit firm can provide answers to critical questions about the scope and impact of the discrepancies. The group’s demands include answers to the following:
- Extent of Manipulation: How widespread are the illegal voter transfers? Are such incidents limited to specific regions, or could they be occurring nationwide?
- System Vulnerabilities: What weaknesses, either in human oversight or technical systems, allowed these unauthorized transfers to happen? What security lapses may exist in the EC’s processes?
- Delay in Provisional Register: Why was there a delay in providing the provisional register to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who have been vocal in their criticism of the register?
- Impact on Election Integrity: How might these errors and manipulations affect the integrity of the upcoming elections, and what steps are necessary to ensure that the election results truly reflect the will of the people?
Comparison with Past Mistakes
The EC has previously compared the current errors in the voter register with those made by previous commissions, but PYDROID dismisses these comparisons as unhelpful. Instead, the think tank believes that urgent, corrective action must be taken to prevent history from repeating itself.
Demonstration Set for September 17
If the EC does not take immediate action to resolve these concerns, PYDROID and its supporters plan to hold a mass demonstration on September 17, under the banner “Enough Is Enough.” The group hopes to rally Ghanaians to demand accountability and transparency from the EC to protect the integrity of their votes.
Conclusion
The call for an independent forensic audit comes at a critical time, as Ghanaians prepare for the December elections. PYDROID’s warnings about the potential consequences of a compromised voter register underscore the urgency of their demands.
The group is determined to ensure that the electoral process remains fair and transparent, reflecting the true will of the people.
In the words of PYDROID: “A transparent forensic audit will ensure that the upcoming elections reflect the true will of the people of Ghana.”
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Also find Below the full press statement
PYDROID DEMANDS THAT EC, AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE, ENGAGE AN INDEPENDENT AND WELL-RECOGNIZED AUDIT FIRM TO AUDIT THE VOTER REGISTER BEFORE THE DECEMBER 7TH ELECTIONS OR FACE A SEPTEMBER 17 DEMO ORGANIZED BY THE YOUTH
It has indeed come to the attention of well-meaning Ghanaians that the EC’s “see no evil, hear no evil” stance on the significant discrepancies in the voter register—noticed after their usual mandated voter exhibition exercise—is concerning.
A Pro-Youth Think Tank like PYDROID, focused on youth policy formulation and youth development, believes that if nothing is visibly done, it could jeopardize the long-standing peace that Ghana has enjoyed.
This is especially worrisome as life becomes increasingly difficult for the average Ghanaian.
As a Think Tank, we have carefully followed the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) findings on the voter register and the threats posed by the current register to our nation.
If the necessary steps are not taken, we fear that the consequences could be dire. Below are our findings and the reasons why we are calling for an independent audit before the December elections:
A. Our Findings:
We believe that the EC’s voter register is unfit for its intended purpose. Our investigations reveal:
- 243,540 previous transfers were illegally added to the 2024 transfers, including repeated entries of illegally transferred names.
- Over 15,000 unidentified voter transfer paths (potentially due to fake voter registrations). Where were these voters originally registered?
- 3,957 voters from the 2023 register were deleted from the 2024 provisional register due to transfer issues.
- 2,094 voters were transferred to different polling stations but are missing from the Absent Voter List as required by law.
- Corrupt files not displaying the names and photos of registered voters. (What if this happens on election day?)
WHY A FORENSIC AUDIT IS NEEDED:
We believe a forensic audit would address the following concerns:
- Extent of Manipulation: How widespread is the issue of illegal voter transfers? If the Pusiga EC office could transfer voters from the Tamale South Constituency without proper authorization, what is the scale of similar incidents nationwide? How many voters have been affected, and how can this be accurately quantified?
- System Vulnerabilities: What specific vulnerabilities, both human and technical, allowed these unauthorized transfers? Were certain protocols or security measures bypassed or ignored? Will the EC’s measures prevent further manipulation before the December 7th elections? If so, why weren’t these measures implemented sooner?
- Timeliness of the Provisional Register: Why was there an avoidable delay in providing the provisional voters’ register to the NDC?
- Impact on the Election: What is the potential impact of the EC’s mistakes and errors on the fairness of the upcoming elections? Will these mistakes compromise the integrity of the election results?
- Historical Comparisons: The EC generalized its mistakes by comparing them to errors made by previous commissions. How does this help address current concerns? What lessons have been learned from past mistakes to prevent similar issues?
- Timeline for Corrections: What is the timeline for resolving these issues to produce a credible, accurate, and fit-for-purpose voters’ register before the printing of materials as agreed at IPAC?
Answering these questions honestly through an independent forensic audit is essential to safeguard the credibility of Ghana’s electoral process.
A transparent forensic audit will ensure that the upcoming elections reflect the true will of the people of Ghana.
JOIN THE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH DEMONSTRATION TO PROTECT YOUR VOTE!
PYDROID DEMANDS THAT EC, AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE, ENGAGE AN INDEPENDENT AND WELL-RECOGNIZED AUDIT FIRM TO AUDIT THE VOTER REGISTER BEFORE THE DECEMBER 7TH ELECTIONS OR FACE A SEPTEMBER 17 DEMO ORGANIZED BY THE YOUTH
It has indeed come to the attention of well-meaning Ghanaians that the EC’s “see no evil, hear no evil” stance on the significant discrepancies in the voter register—noticed after their usual mandated voter exhibition exercise—is concerning.
A Pro-Youth Think Tank like PYDROID, focused on youth policy formulation and youth development, believes that if nothing is visibly done, it could jeopardize the long-standing peace that Ghana has enjoyed.
This is especially worrisome as life becomes increasingly difficult for the average Ghanaian.
As a Think Tank, we have carefully followed the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) findings on the voter register and the threats posed by the current register to our nation.
If the necessary steps are not taken, we fear that the consequences could be dire. Below are our findings and the reasons why we are calling for an independent audit before the December elections:
A. Our Findings:
We believe that the EC’s voter register is unfit for its intended purpose. Our investigations reveal:
- 243,540 previous transfers were illegally added to the 2024 transfers, including repeated entries of illegally transferred names.
- Over 15,000 unidentified voter transfer paths (potentially due to fake voter registrations). Where were these voters originally registered?
- 3,957 voters from the 2023 register were deleted from the 2024 provisional register due to transfer issues.
- 2,094 voters were transferred to different polling stations but are missing from the Absent Voter List as required by law.
- Corrupt files not displaying the names and photos of registered voters. (What if this happens on election day?)
WHY A FORENSIC AUDIT IS NEEDED:
We believe a forensic audit would address the following concerns:
- Extent of Manipulation: How widespread is the issue of illegal voter transfers? If the Pusiga EC office could transfer voters from the Tamale South Constituency without proper authorization, what is the scale of similar incidents nationwide? How many voters have been affected, and how can this be accurately quantified?
- System Vulnerabilities: What specific vulnerabilities, both human and technical, allowed these unauthorized transfers? Were certain protocols or security measures bypassed or ignored? Will the EC’s measures prevent further manipulation before the December 7th elections? If so, why weren’t these measures implemented sooner?
- Timeliness of the Provisional Register: Why was there an avoidable delay in providing the provisional voters’ register to the NDC?
- Impact on the Election: What is the potential impact of the EC’s mistakes and errors on the fairness of the upcoming elections? Will these mistakes compromise the integrity of the election results?
- Historical Comparisons: The EC generalized its mistakes by comparing them to errors made by previous commissions. How does this help address current concerns? What lessons have been learned from past mistakes to prevent similar issues?
- Timeline for Corrections: What is the timeline for resolving these issues to produce a credible, accurate, and fit-for-purpose voters’ register before the printing of materials as agreed at IPAC?
Answering these questions honestly through an independent forensic audit is essential to safeguard the credibility of Ghana’s electoral process.
A transparent forensic audit will ensure that the upcoming elections reflect the true will of the people of Ghana.
JOIN THE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH DEMONSTRATION TO PROTECT YOUR VOTE!
