The Progressive Peoples Party, in the heat of the arguments concerning the new voters’ register is calling on the Electoral Commission to collaborate with the National Identification Authority (NIA) in sharing information.
According to him, the NIA has said that they have about 50% of voters’ information that the EC might need to compile a new register.
Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo this morning, Mr. Nana Ofori Owusu, director of operations for the PPP believes that the Authority will be the best place to get the information “if they say they have it”.
Information From The NIA
According to a report on Myjoyonline.com, the head of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof. Ken Attafuah said his outfit has all the biometric data the Electoral Commission (EC) will need for the creation of a new voters’ register. He added, whiles speaking on Newsfile last Saturday that the NIA’s enrolment platform captures the biographic details – which includes the iris, fingerprints and facials the Commission would require in compiling a new electoral roll.
He added that the only thing the NIA does not have is the polling station codes or names which can be arrived at simply by using technology sayingthat the Authority if given some time will be able to do that. He also said that the “NIA can push to the EC the data set of all those Ghanaians who have been registered and are above 18 years. About 94 to 95 percent are persons on the national identity register aged 18 and above and who will be 18 and above at the time of voting.
The Electoral commission has however said that if they are to wait on the NIA, it would mean there will be no register for the elections come 2020.
