The National Commission for Civic Education indeed hit the nail on the head when it blamed the problems that characterized the just ended voter registration exercise on the Electoral Commission.  At the close of the exercise yesterday, many potential voters were still in the  queue  anxious to register.  With the close of the exercise, a lot of voters have been disenfranchised thereby losing their power to determine who leads the country or represents them in Parliament in January 2009. 

It is not enough for the NCCE to just pass the buck or shift the blame on the Electoral Commission for the malaise that characterized the registration exercise.  The question is, did the NCCE itself play any tangible  role in educating  prospective voters on the  registration process?  It rather occupied itself in organizing an opinion poll on who will win the elections.  And was that relevant at this point in time, when there were more crucial issues on hand?  Much as we all agree the Electoral Commission did not do well in organizing the voter registration, the  NCCE could  as well be  blamed for  shirking its statutory  role.  As a constitutional body which is mandated with educating the people on their civic responsibility, little is heard of the NCCE these days.  It claims it is poorly resourced to function efficiently and effectively.  No wonder during the registration exercise some people had the audacity to deny other people their right to register simply because they belonged to certain tribes which is noted to support some political parties. 

It is high time people were educated on the dangers of tribal politics, after all, Ghana is a unitary state. With experiences from Rwanda at hindsight, we need to be very cautious the way  we  tribalise our  politics.  It will be fatally disastrous if we alienated other people simply because they  come  from particularly  areas. The NCCE must be more proactive in carrying out its mandate.  We are tired of institutions shifting blame where they fall short.  In this era of accountability, posterity will never forgive the NCCE if it fails to let the people know the dos and don’ts in the electoral process.  Ghanaian elections have so far been peaceful, compared to what has happened in other African countries. 

The Electoral Commission must be commended for successfully conducting four successive elections since the country’s return to constitutional rule in 1992.  This does not mean our elections have been free from anxieties and acrimonies.  The country has pulled back from post election conflagration largely as a result of vigilance and the spirit of compromise and tolerance on the   part of key state and non-state institution.  The Electoral Commission needs to atone for whatever miscarriages were experienced during the registration exercise.  It must take another look at people it picks as its agents especially the returning officers. The overt and covert harassment that characterized the registration at some centres must not be repeated on December 7.  

Now that the registration exercise is over, the EC together with the political parties must do a re-appraisal and right whatever wrong  took place.  The up-coming elections are too dear to the nation to be allowed to flop like happened to the registration exercise.  The EC must work overnight to produce the newly compiled electoral register early enough for the scrutiny and approval of all.  Anything short of this will be a recipe for mediocrity. 

The NCCE and Electoral Commission must sink their differences; after all, all is not yet lost.  What is important is how to ensure a credible election that will enable a popular candidate to emerge President and Parliamentarian.  That is all we are looking for, period!

By: JUSTICE MINGLE, A JOURNALIST