The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is urging Parliament to query the Electoral Commission (EC) regarding the recently concluded voters’ exhibition exercise.
This follows the introduction of a short code for checking one’s details in the voters’ register during the exercise by the EC, where eligible voters who utilised this option were charged 50 pesewas as a service fee.
In an interview with Citi News, Deputy Director of IT for the NDC, Rashid Tanko Computer stated that it is unlawful for the EC to provide a service that incurs a 50 pesewas charge for citizens, particularly when Parliament had approved a budget for the conduct of the elections including the exhibition exercise.
“Already these people, you are taking our e-levy and we want to abolish it. Now you are using the short code to milk innocent Ghanaians, which is supposed to be free. They are making money out of it.
“EC is not an organisation that should make a profit. It is not a profit-making organisation. So why should they be charging people for trying to check their names? This is an illegal process of trying to dupe Ghanaians. And we think that what they are doing is unfair.
“Because the Electoral Commission is not a profit-making organisation. And they should not be charging Ghanaians when they go there to check their names. So if you design a short code, why should you charge Ghanaians for that?
“Because you have gone for a budget through the Special Budget Committee in Parliament for this exercise and they have given you the money, so why are you charging Ghanaians to go for it? So we think that they should go and answer questions about it.”
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