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Sylvia Annor: We’ll institute COVID-19 safety protocols before undertaking registration exercise
The Electoral Commission (EC) has assured the electorate that it will put the necessary safety protocols in place to ensure that they are adequately protected against COVID-19 contraction while undertaking the exercise.
In furtherance of that it indicated that not more than 25 people would be permitted at a registration centre at a given time when the commission begins the mass voter registration exercise for the December polls.
Sylvia Annor, the Communications Director for the Electoral Commission, made the disclosure and noted that the commission was poised to develop a new voters’ roll for the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
“At each point in time we will ensure that we do not have more than 25 persons including the officials at any registration centre, people coming to register will be given hand sanitisers before they enter the registration centre, you need to wear a face mask, without a face mask you cannot enter a registration centre and there will be no crowding at the registration centre, I can assure you,” she said.
Ms Annor reiterated the EC’s position that existing Voter’s ID cards would not be accepted as proof of identity during the registration exercise and insisted that the electorate needed a Ghanaian passport or Ghana card, if for one reason or the other the electorate don’t have any of the two then they have to get two guarantors to guarantee for them.
“We are not using the old voters’ ID card, the voters’ ID card, some people argue, is not a good index for identification, it’s an established fact that the ID card is not a good index for proof of identification,” she maintained.
But the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has alleged that the EC and the National Identification Authority (NIA) are conspiring to suppress votes in the strongholds of the party.
Addressing a news conference recently, Ofosu Ampofo, the National Chairman of the NDC, alleged that the decision of the commission to push for the Ghana card, birth certificate and passport as the primary documents required to register during the voters’ registration exercise was part of a grand scheme to rig the 2020 elections in favour of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).-starrfmonline.com
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.
