Political Scientist Dr. Kwame Asaah Asante, has said that the Electoral Commission (EC) cannot chicken out on the implementation of the Representation of the People’s Amendment Law (ROPAL).
This follows a threat by the Progressive Alliance Movement, an alliance of Ghanaians living abroad, to sue the Electoral Commission for contempt of court, claiming the Commission ignored the court’s ruling on the Representation of the ROPAL which
Parliament passed in 2006.
The Law mandates the EC to make provisions for Ghanaians living abroad to vote in national elections. After the law was passed in 2006, little was done with it between 2008 and 2011.
A committee was set up to make recommendations on the way forward for the EC. The Committee submitted its report in September 2011. In 2016, the Progressive Alliance Movement took the matter to court seeking orders to compel the EC to implement ROPAL.
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Their reliefs were granted and EC set up another committee to look into the modalities for implementation. But the EC is yet to begin the process.
It’s 2024, months to the general election and there is no clear-cut directive from the EC on ROPAL. The Alliance that has been at the forefront of the advocacy has threatened to again go to the courts for what they describe as the EC being in contempt of court.
Speaking on the matter, Dr. Asante said the EC must immediately begin the process even if it is cumbersome.
According to him, “the law says universal adult suffrage and that should allow for all to exercise their rights as citizens of the country as stated in the law”.
“Look at the contributions of those abroad to this country even with remittances, and when it comes to making it possible for them to vote you want to chicken out, no the EC cannot do that”, he stated.
