MP Threatens Injunction On District Level Elections

Member of Parliament for Ellembelle has threatened to use legal proceedings to place an injunction on the upcoming referendum scheduled for December 17 this year.

Speaking to the media in Parliament on Friday, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, alleged some actions of the Electoral Commission (EC) will disenfranchise about 5,000 electorates in his constituency.

“This is how worrisome we should all be, how can people have voter’s identification card and the EC cannot tell us why their names are not on the exhibition list?” he asked.

The EC in a press statement released on Monday, scheduled December 17, 2019, to conduct a referendum to approve the bill to amend Clause 3 of Article 55 of the 1992 Constitution.

This bill when passed will permit political parties to fund candidates for election to District assemblies and lower local government units.

During proceedings, the MP sought direction from the Speaker, Professor Mike Oquaye, as to how the House could call on the EC chairperson Jean Mensah, to brief her on the matter.

Mr Buah noted that when the EC started the limited registration in June for individuals who had turned 18 years, about 6,300 people registered in the Ellembele constituency.

He added that, however, when the EC opened the exhibition in September, about 5,000 out of the 6,300 people who registered could not find their names in the register.

He revealed that when they enquired from the EC officials in the area, their response was that those whose names were not on the register must go to their district office, pick a form and register anew.

Mr Buah added that only 30 people have been able to register so far due to poor systems.