A Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Kwame Asah-Asante, has raised concerns about the potential problem of carrying out an election without a proper identification process.
His comment follows the Electoral Commission’s (EC) decision to eliminate the use of indelible ink as the means of verification in December 2024.
According to Dr Asah-Asante, he could not fathom how the electoral body would cancel the sole identification process Ghana has known since the inception of the Fourth Republic.
Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews, he said “What has worked for us, why the need to change it, for what? They should convince us beyond reasonable doubt that the use of indelible ink has created a problem or more problems than the benefits that we are deriving from it over the years. Then they would be in a better position to convince me.
“But if there is nothing like that and you say you want to change it, change it for what? Is it for changing sake?”
The political scientist argued that there was no need to change a process Ghanaians were accustomed. Therefore, if there was a need to change the process, there should be a discussion so all Ghanaians can understand the need for such changes.
“You know that in our part of the world verification is a problem. So things of this nature have worked for us over the years. I don’t see the need to be in a hurry to change it. Let us maintain it. Let’s work for it.
“If there are problems with it, discuss it, and then all of us will be part of the discussion and we will find a solution to it but when you bring it out of the blue and then you want to, as it were to surprise us with that I am not sure that will go for any meaningful democratic process,” he said.
Dr Asah Asante added that this can create a problem; therefore, it is incumbent on the EC to involve all stakeholders so they can evaluate the decision to reach a common ground.