2008 voter figures were bloated -Ben Ephson

Pollster and Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch Newspaper says the 2008 voters’ registration figures were really bloated.

According to Mr Ben Ephson, figures tallied from the just ended biometric voters’ registration is an indication that there was something wrong with the figures from last four years’ registration.

He said on an average about 300,000 people add on to the voters’ register. However, in this case a million plus have been added on.

Speaking during a phone interview on e.tv Ghana’s morning show, Awake, Mr Ephson noted that, “if four years back we had almost 12.5 million voters registering, a million plus should take us to almost 13.7 million. So clearly it tells you the figures were blotted in 2008.

“Also, provisional results from the Ghana Statistical Services indicated that Ghana was about 25 million as at 2010 meaning that half the population are above 18 years so we should be getting about 12.5 million voters. So the 13 million is even beyond what people expect,” he said.

However, he also noted that the figures given by the Electoral Commission is a clear indication of increasing confidence in the electoral process and was quick to caution that “the biometric registration is  not the only vehicle to free transparent elections.”

Mr Ephson also indicated that the process has eliminated one of the ways to electoral fraud such as double voting.

Touching on the need for voter verification during the election, he also noted that the registration process had given the opportunity for parties calling for voter verification to realize that there cannot be a full verification on the Election Day.

“However, it proves that part verification is possible. Full verification means if there is a problem with the machine, then you can’t vote. Part verification means a party agent or officer who knows you can verify that you are indeed eligible to vote on that day.”

According to Mr Ephson, there is no need to continue the voter registration exercise as is being called for by some societies.

“Those calling for a continuous registration process are ignorant about the voting process,” he said.

However, “it important that everyone goes to check his or her name when the register is opened,” he noted.

The 40-day biometric voters’ registration which started on March 24, 2012 ended on May 5, 2012 and according to the EC, over 12 million people have been registered.

Jasmine Arku / etvghana.com