The Electoral Commission (EC) has backtracked on its plan to abolish the guarantor system for the upcoming limited voter registration exercise ahead of the 2024 elections.
This decision was communicated during the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting where the electoral calendar was discussed.
Political parties confirmed that the initial proposal, which aimed to remove the guarantor system, was revised based on input from all stakeholders and has now been accepted.
Dr. Omane Boamah, the Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), expressed satisfaction with the revised calendar, highlighting the cordial nature of the discussions and the openness of the Chairperson, Jean Mensa.
In response, Evans Nimako, the NPP Director of Elections, stated that while the party supports the decision to retain the guarantor system, it will not tolerate any abuse of the system.
Nimako emphasized the importance of ensuring that only eligible individuals are registered to vote, pledging the party’s commitment to upholding integrity in the electoral process.
“What the NPP will not support is for stakeholders to guarantee for minors and non-citizens to be on the electoral roll. It is for this reason we were in full support of a new CI for the use of the Ghana card. That notwithstanding, we will go along with what exists and make sure the right thing is done, as parties, we have had a successful deliberation and will see to its implementation.”
The decision to maintain the guarantor system comes amid concerns raised by political parties regarding its removal.