The National Democratic Congress (NDC), the People’s National Congress (PNC) together with some other political parties, have walked out of an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting with the Electoral Commission.
The United Front Party, the Eagle Party, and the All People’s Congress were also part of the walkout.
According to them, the EC deceived them into the meeting only for them to realise that they were there to witness the demonstration of software for a new biometric register, which they are opposed to.
The Director of Elections for the NDC, Elvis Afriyie claimed that the parties had not discussed the issue exhaustively enough and had made the concerns known in previous IPAC meetings
“Several sessions were held and public fora were even done so why is it that they wanted to introduce this as if by the back door?”
He recalled an invitation for emergency IPAC meeting on November 25 where the issue of new register came up though it was not on the meeting agenda.
“Again we found it irregular because you don’t put those proposals in an emergency meeting and take note that in the notice that was sent we were not going to discuss new biometric register. Again for the second time, they tried to hide under the cover of the EC’s programme.”
The parties were asked to bring experts to discuss the procurement for the new register at another emergency meeting on December 2.
The NDC and again raised concerns with but still participated in the discussion, Mr. Afriyie narrated.
“Our IT people together with other political parties raised counterfactuals and proved to them that there was no need for a new biometric register and we stated cogent reasons.”
Source: citinewsroom.com