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Release provisional voter register now – NDC to EC
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The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is demanding the release of the provisional voter register for the December 7 general elections to political parties ahead of the exhibition exercise.
“We strongly believe this lack of promptness exhibited by the EC is due to both incompetence and a deliberate attempt to dump a sub-standard Provisional Voter Register on political parties in a short period, to make it difficult for interested parties to critically peruse the register before the Exhibition starts, next week,” tDirector of Elections for the NDC, Dr Omane Boamah, in a post on Facebook.
He stated that the delay in the prompt release of the register is due to the EC’s incompetence and a deliberate attempt to provide a sub-standard register to political parties
Read full statement below
The EC must release the Provisional Voter Register (PVR) now!
With just six (6) days to the 2024 EXHIBITION of the Provisional Voter Register (PVR), political parties are yet to receive the register.
We strongly believe this lack of promptness exhibited by the EC is due to both incompetence and a deliberate attempt to dump a sub-standard Provisional Voter Register on political parties in a short period, to make it difficult for interested parties to critically peruse the register before the Exhibition starts, next week.
The EC wrote to the NDC on the 18th of July 2024, requesting that we bring an external drive (2 terabytes) for the PVR to be loaded for us.
We responded to their request by submitting the external drive with additional requests for all 16 regional register code books.
Unfortunately, for well over two weeks, the EC refused to honour their obligation per CI 91 as amended by CI 126.
Caught with this, the EC surprisingly wrote to us on the 8th of August 2024 now saying they will release the PVR on the 14th of August 2024, six clear days to the exhibition exercise which starts next week on the 20th of August 2024.
This is grossly unfair!
To make matters worse, we are told that today (the 14th of August) we will not receive the Provisional Voter Register until Friday, 16th August 2024. Leaving us with only six (6) days to package and dispatch the register to the over 38,000 Polling stations across Ghana to aid in pre-exhibition scrutiny of the register.
We are aware of the dysfunctional IT Department of the EC, for which we earlier called on the UNDP (@ IPAC) to extend a helping hand to.
The EC has refused and has since not followed up with the UNDP for technical support. Yet, the (deliberate) mistakes keep recurring.
We are deeply concerned that the posturing and incompetence of the EC and its IT Department can plunge Ghana into anarchy if not remedied immediately.
Recall the chaotic 2023 District Assembly Elections, the recent network failures during the Limited Registration Exercise, as well as Transfers and Proxies.
These have exposed the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness of the EC.
This deliberate attempt to disturb the electoral roll in order to benefit one political party will be resisted!
Already, the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits stolen at the headquarters of the Electoral Commission under CCTV surveillance have still not been found. Have the stolen BVR kits been used to dump illegally registered voters onto the voter register?
The sanctity of our electoral system must be upheld at all times irrespective of who is in power!
We call on CSOs, religious bodies, and diplomatic missions to take an interest in the activities of this current EC because (beyond verbal assurances) the Commission is not SHOWING a commitment to deliver credible elections on December 07 2024.
The EC must release the Provisional Voter Register now!
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The 29th Annual Dagaaba-Frafra Friendly Games have once again demonstrated that sports can be a powerful vehicle for cultural preservation, business networking, friendship and peaceful coexistence.
Held at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra last Saturday, the games brought together members of the two ethnic groups from across Ghana and abroad for a colourful celebration under the theme, “Unity in Diversity: The Dagaaba-Frafra Model for Peaceful Co-existence.”
The event, which has evolved from a friendly football match into a major annual gathering, featured football, volleyball, sack races, lime and spoon, tug-of-peace and a penalty shootout for senior citizens.
At the end of the competitions, the Frafra won four events, while the Dagaaba secured victories in five, with the men’s soccer match ending in a draw.
The Frafra triumphed in the men’s lime and spoon, men’s sack race, women’s sack race and women’s soccer, while the Dagaaba won the women’s lime and spoon, men’s volleyball, women’s volleyball, women’s tug-of-peace and the senior citizens’ penalty shootout.
However, the games extended far beyond the sporting arena. The stadium grounds and surrounding spaces became a vibrant marketplace, with patrons enjoying and purchasing a variety of traditional foods, drinks and cultural products.
Local delicacies, including TZ, tubaani, bambara beans, pork, guinea fowl, local fowls, dog meat and kosie, were sold alongside traditional alcoholic beverages. Traditional dresses and other culturally inspired items also attracted buyers, turning the gathering into an important platform for small businesses and vendors to make sales while promoting northern Ghanaian culture.
The cultural exchange continued long after the final sporting contests, as patrons remained at the venue to eat, drink, socialise, dance and party well into the night.
In her remarks, the Guest of Honour, Dr Matilda Aberese-Ako, said the gathering represented much more than competition, describing the Dagaaba-Frafra relationship as a historic bond that had evolved into a modern sporting tradition and an instrument for peace.
MTN Ghana has been the headline sponsor for the games for the past 10 years.
By Gordon Wellu
By Gordon Wellu
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MTN Ghana has undertaken a tree-planting exercise at the Chipa Forest Reserve as part of its commitment to protecting the planet and support the restoration of degraded sections of the forest.
The activity forms part of the company’s 2026 Sustainability Month celebration held under the theme “Small Actions: Big Impact,” and its 30th anniversary celebration.
It was held in partnership with the Forestry Commission (FC) and the Rainforest Alliance with MTN Ghana supporting the restoration of approximately two hectares of degraded forest through the planting of 1,666 trees.
Due to the current dry weather conditions, 833 trees were planted during the exercise, with the remaining 833 to be planted when the rain commences.
The exercise brought together MTN employee volunteers, officials from the Forestry Commission and representatives of the Rainforest Alliance, demonstrating the importance of collaboration in driving environmental sustainability.
Speaking at the event, the Acting General Manager for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN Ghana, Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, emphasized the critical role trees play in sustaining life and protecting the environment.
“Trees are essential to human survival and healthy ecosystems. They absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, regulate temperatures, protect soil, support biodiversity and provide habitats for many species. They also conserve water, reduce erosion and help communities adapt to the effects of climate change,” she said.
The District Manager of the Tema-Ada Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission, Linda Ansah, welcomed MTN Ghana’s support, describing it as a valuable contribution to efforts aimed at restoring degraded sections of the reserve.
The Country Director of the Rainforest Alliance, Nicholas Jengri, also welcomed the partnership and emphasised the importance of collective action in addressing environmental challenges.
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