By Elsie Appiah-Osei
Accra, June 8, GNA – Parliament says it will reject the Electoral Commission’s (EC) new Constitutional Instrument (CI) seeking to make the Ghana card the only primary document for voter registration.
Addressing Parliamentary Press Corps at a Leaders’ Media Briefing in Parliament House on Wednesday, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader and Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the Minority Leader said failure by the EC to take onboard proposed changes by the House would see the CI rejected.
Parliament through Mr Alban Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, had written to the EC asking for the restoration of the guarantor system during the voting process.
However, the EC in its response noted that it would submit the CI without the changes proposed by the House.
Consequently, the two leaders of the various caucuses explained that since the EC was independent, failure to listen to the concerns of Parliament would result in the rejection of the CI.
“…The reality is the EC is the authority charged with the responsibility to bring this instrument, what we have done is to make proposals to them. Do not forget that the constitution is emphatic that in the performance of its function, the EC is not subject to the direction or control of anybody.
So, whereas we think that the suggestions we have given to them may further improve what they intend to, it is for them to evaluate our proposal and see how to factor them into their Instrument before submitting it to us,” Mr Kyei Mensah-Bonsu said.
“If after they have done the appropriate consultations and considerations, they think that they are good with the original, it is left to them. But if they submit it to us, it should not be the end of it, we will then peruse it to see whether it finds
congruence with our proposals and if it does not and we have to return it or annul it, it is the preserve of Parliament so to do,” Dr Forson said.
The Leaders’ Media Briefing is a periodic engagement between the Leadership of the House and the Media at the beginning of every Meeting of Parliament to outline the framework of the Meeting.
It also serves as a platform of interaction between the Leaders, the Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament, and the Parliamentary Press Corps.
GNA