The Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kofi Portuphy has said that it would be expensive to heed to calls by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for a new voters’ register.<\/p>\n
He argued that the country at this point in time\u00a0does not need a new voters’ register citing economic issues as a major factor\u00a0for this.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”JtxdqDTZWHnetIjrA8QZziyXHDgNbMj2″]\u201cWe must always be thinking about the economy in terms of what it takes to build a register. If a nation cannot afford it, what do we do? So there are other ways of looking at the register not necessarily saying lets change it, I\u2019m saying that it is expensive,\u201d he said in a Citi News<\/strong> interview.<\/p>\n Kofi Portuphy\u2019s comment follows calls by the NPP\u00a0and the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) for a new voters register, with suggestions that it must be changed to enhance its credibility and national appeal.<\/p>\n The NPP had petitioned the Electoral Commission over the matter arguing that the register is bloated with names of foreigners and minors.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the EC, at an IPAC meeting on Friday directed all the political parties to submit proposals for a new voters register.<\/p>\n Not enthused\u00a0by the NPP\u2019s demand which he said was creating ‘panic’, the NDC\u2019s National Chairman, Kofi Portuphy said there was no need for a new\u00a0register, as there are several ways the existing one\u00a0\u00a0could be cleaned.<\/p>\n “Political parties are to submit their views and opinions stating concretely what their view are not necessarily what the NPP are saying. We have been articulating our views. There is no reason why we should create panic about voters register.\u00a0We may at the end of the day agree to have a new register but we will look at what we have now, have we gone by the laws that govern registration, exhibition of the voters register,\u00a0 that govern voting?<\/p>\n At the polling station when you are registering, you have the right to challenge a non-Ghanaian…looking at problems where we have had double registration, the EC has been making a lot of efforts to make the register acceptable to Ghanaians and the international community. We are proud of the democratic movement in this country, we are committed to it so we will articulate and deepen our position and stance with the support of Ghanaians and the nation will move forward.”<\/p>\n NDC not being crowded.<\/strong><\/p>\n He also dispelled rumours that most of the political parties are siding with the NPP on the need for a new register.<\/p>\n \u201cNDC is not being overcrowded. Our views are going to be heard. It\u2019s going to be articulated distinctively and if in the process, some other views weigh better and they offer the nation a better option, why don\u2019t we accept it. Remember the review of the voters register has been on. We have together with the EC expunged over 158,000 names from the register. So if more names must be expunged why not,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Godwin A. Allotey\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n