The High Court in Accra, Human Rights Division, presided over by His Lordship Justice Anthony K. Yeboah, today [Monday], ordered the Electoral Commission to implement within 12 months, the Representation of the People Amendment Act also known as the ROPAA law, 2006 [Act 699].

[contextly_sidebar id=”wug15FEGcUvVDWP5TXPepi2PoaFxgM0M”]Justice Anthony Yeboah said the EC had for the last ten years breached the rights of Ghanaians living abroad by failing to give them an opportunity to vote.

He thus condemned the EC’s failure to address challenges preventing Ghanaians living abroad from voting, and specifically asked them to ensure that arrangements are made for such people to vote in the 2020 elections.

He said the ROPAA law was passed by Parliament, and that the EC can cause the same Parliament to approve funding for them for the implementation.

The ROPAA law seeks to empower eligible Ghanaians abroad to vote in national elections. Successive governments have failed to ensure its implementation, since its passage in 2006.

The applicants were praying the court to declare a violation of their human rights with the non-implementation of the law, and a subsequent order for them to take part in general elections and national referenda while residing abroad.

EC’s arguments

The Electoral Commission at the last hearing prayed the court to allow it prove it was in the process of implementing the law, but failed to provide enough evidence to that effect.

The EC primarily argued that, it had plans to implement the law and should not be compelled to do so.

It also challenged the process by which the applicants invoked the court’s jurisdiction as wrong, while insisting that the right to vote is not a human right.

State Attorneys representing the 2nd Respondent in court had at the start of the case also told the court that they will associate themselves with arguments of lawyers of the 1st Respondent (EC), throughout the entire process.

The case was originally filed in 2016, but withdrawn ahead of the elections and refiled after the elections.

The applicants are Kofi A. Boateng, Nellie Kemevor, Obed Danquah, Christiana Sillim and Agyenim Boateng, all residing in New York State and Kentucky in the USA.

Reliefs as spelt out by the applicants are listed below:

The Applicants who are all members of the Progressive Alliance Movement (PAM) a New York State incorporated nonprofit organization, were seeking from the Court “a Declaration that Applicants have fundamental human rights under Articles 17(2), 42 and 33(5), of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act 2006 [Act 699] Article 13 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, Article 25 of The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Protocol 1 (article 3) of the European Convention on Human Rights

a) “to be registered as voter[s]” while resident abroad and being outside the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ghana, and doing so from/at their places of residence abroad or designated centers close to their places of residence abroad or from/at the Ghana Mission/Embassy within their jurisdiction abroad;
b) to be issued voters Identity Cards “to enable” them “to vote in public elections and referenda” while resident abroad and being outside the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ghana at the time of such elections, and doing so from/at their places of residence abroad or designated centres close to their places of residence abroad or from/at the Ghana Mission/Embassy within their jurisdiction abroad;

c) “to vote in public elections and referenda” particularly Presidential and Parliamentary elections while resident abroad and being outside the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ghana at the time of such elections, and doing so from/at their places of residence abroad or designated centres close to their places of residence abroad or from/at the Ghana Mission/Embassy within their jurisdiction abroad;

d) A Declaration that the non-compliance of 1st Respondent in particular to operationalize the Act 699 since same became law on the 24th day of February 2006 is a breach of Applicants’ fundamental rights under said various laws and legal instruments;

e) A Declaration 2nd Respondent’s failure, neglect or refusal to uphold/ensure full compliance/operationalization of the Act 699 since same became law on the 24th day of February 2006 is a breach of Applicants’ fundamental rights under said various laws and legal instruments;
f) A Declaration that each of the Applicant’s “right to vote and entitle[ment] to be registered as a voter for the purposes of public elections and referenda” in light of the Act 699 and said various laws and legal instruments is not subject to any condition precedent aside the article 42 age and sanity of mind criteria;

g) A Declaration that it is discriminatory for Respondents particularly 1st Respondent to continue to register abroad and ensure that a category of citizens studying abroad or working in Ghana’s Missions/Embassies abroad vote in public elections and referenda while in abroad to exclusion of the Applicants.

h) An Order of mandamus directed at Respondents particularly 1st Respondent to forthwith, uphold/ensure full compliance/operationalisation of the Act 699.
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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Being born in Switzerland does not guarantee citizenship and non-Swiss residents must typically wait 12 years before applying.

Tests and government interviews are also required, which can be expensive.

The new proposal will allow third-generation immigrants to avoid some of that bureaucracy.
It will directly affect those born in Switzerland, whose parents and grandparents also lived in the country permanently.

Supporters of the plan to simplify the process argue that it is ridiculous to ask people who were born and have lived all their lives in Switzerland to prove that they are integrated.

However opponents suggest that the measures could lead to further steps that will eventually allow all non-Swiss residents – 25% of the population – to gain easy citizenship.

An opposition poster, which features a woman in a burka, suggests that the new proposal could lead to a so-called “Islamisation” of the country.

The current vetting procedure, aimed at ensuring that new citizens are well integrated, includes interviews carried out by town councils. Questions put to interviewees can include requests to name local cheeses or mountains.

Those in favour of maintaining the current system also argue that the strict vetting rules make it superior to the more anonymous systems in neighbouring France and Germany.

Over the past 30 years, three previous attempts to relax the rules have been defeated. This time, opinion polls suggest the vote on Sunday will be close. Big cities back the idea, while more conservative rural areas oppose it.

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Source: BBC

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According to him, Nana Akuffo Addo and John Mahama have proven over the years that they have nothing different to offer Ghanaians.

Mr. Hammond was speaking at the party’s Central regional rally held at Mankessim on under the theme: “Ade papa wo fie aa oye.”

The rally brought the Mankessim Township to a halt, as thousands of supporters gathered to listen to the PPP’s message, which they believe is the message of hope for Ghana.

He urged the region to judge Dr. Nduom by his competence and job creation track record, and not the mere fact that he is from the region as others have sort to do in the past.

“We need thinkers and job creators to occupy the Flagstaff House. As we all can see; young people from this region are leaving to seek greener pastures elsewhere, because of the lack of jobs coupled with deteriorating living conditions. Reward Nduom with your votes because he did not earn the Edwumawura accolade by just by sitting down. Jobs are 4 letters and Nduom is synonymous with job creation,” he said.

The PPP Chairman took a swipe at the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer, Nana Akuffo Addo, for constantly saying he is going to the Jubilee House should he win the December elections.

“There’s no such thing as the Jubilee House; we have the Flagstaff House so he doesn’t know where he’s going.”

On his part, Dr. Nduom thanked the people of the region for their unflinching support during his tango with the Electoral Commission (EC).

“You have showed that we are bold,” he said.

He however decried the state of the region saying that, it is the fourth poorest region in Ghana, despite the role it has played in the country’s history.

“If you continue to follow the NDC and NPP; then you don’t love yourself. Teachers posted to teach in parts of Ghana some years ago, were from this region; but today our people do not even go to school. I wonder why in today’s world cholera will break out in Cape Coast. A new hope for Ghana is coming and it’s coming from the Central region,” he told the thousands of party supporters.

Dr. Nduom said that the NDC and NPP have started perpetrating acts of violence with few days to the polls, as the two are reported to have engaged in knives and guns battle.

He urged Ghanaians to vote for him if they want peace; and introduced the party’s parliamentary candidates for the 23 constituencies in the region; and asked that they vote massively for them.

Central Regional Chairman of the party, Andrews Effah, noted that, the huge numbers seen on the day has sent a signal to other parties that the PPP has taken over the region.

“Change is coming. The Donald Trump scenario is happening in Ghana.”

Policy Advisor of the party, Kofi Asamoah Siaw, said that the work done by some parties in the past 24 years cannot compare to Dr. Nduom’s work in his private capacity.

He urged voters to take moneys offered them by politicians and vote against them.

National Youth Leader of the PPP, Divine Nkrumah, speaking on the party’s position on the ballot, said 4 means ‘God is with us’ and Ghana’s presidential tenure is for four years; meaning God is saying that, Ghanaians should give Dr. Nduom four years as president.

He displayed his singing and dancing skills to the admiration of the crowd, and asked the youth to vote No. 4 for Nduom and No. 1 for the party’s parliamentary candidates since PPP is a jobs-focused party.

The leadership prior to arriving at the rally grounds, met with the Omankrado of Mankessim traditional area, Nana Opoku Akwaa II, his elders and sub-chiefs.
The traditional leader welcomed him; and prayed God’s peace for him and pledged their support for him.

They lauded him for building the regional headquarters of Groupe Nduom in the area; and creating jobs for his people.

Paramount queen mother, Nana Ama Amissah III, called for decorum in speeches of politicians and urged them to seek peace in the electioneering period.
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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Reward Nduom with your votes – PPP Chairman appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.