The Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Jifa Gomathy, has accused the Publicity Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagba, of being involved in double registration, claiming that the Electoral Commission (EC) is too scared to address the issue.
Gomathy elaborated that this is not the first time the Electoral Commission has allowed Ahiagba to circumvent election rules.
She cited an earlier incident in 2020, when Ahiagba was allowed to vote after making several calls at his polling station despite irregularities in his registration.
“How could he vote when his name is not on the registration roll?” Gomathy asked, expressing his dissatisfaction with the leniency shown to Ahiagba.
“If you recall, in 2020, Richard Ahiagba made multiple phone calls at his registered polling station and the Electoral Commission finally allowed him to vote.”
Evidence has emerged suggesting that Ahiagba voted in the 2020 elections without his name appearing on the voters’ roll.
Photographs of the voters’ register used during the election show that Ahiagba’s details, including his voter identification number, name, age, date of birth and polling station code, were all written in pen at the bottom of the register by electoral officials before he cast his vote.
In a telephone interview with the host of “Yen Nsempa Nana Yaa Brefo” co-hosted by Isaac Ekow JB, Gomashe expressed concern over the “blatant intimidation” caused by the arrival of Richard Ahiagba and his party, including the Regional Chairman, Nana B and others, at the Ketu South Electoral Registration Centre on May 22, 2024.
Asked about his actions in response to Ahiagba denying the allegation of dual registration, Gomathyi acknowledged his dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency from the Electoral Commission.
“I’m very disappointed in our country’s election system and in some of its officials who allow people to get things wrong,” she said.
She said she had been advised by the EC to voice her concerns on the day of the fair as that was the only time they could voice their dissatisfaction, but she was sceptical about the process.
Gomasiye lamented that these challenges and shortcomings could hinder free and fair elections, especially in a context where individuals who support the goals of the Electoral Commission are often vilified.
“If we want to have free and fair elections in Ghana, such intimidation is unnecessary and will hinder us from achieving that goal,” she asserted.
Gomasiye urged Ghanaians, especially politicians, to maintain integrity. “We have to stand up for something, otherwise what are we standing up for,” she advised.
By Lois Dogbe