Political Science professor, Ransford Gyampo, has faulted the Electoral Commission’s directive to the NDC to present its proposals on electoral reforms to IPAC.
The senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon said the Inter-Party Advisory Committee is not the appropriate forum for such proposals.
“EC must receive [the proposals] first then…send it to IPAC. It is not the right directive to the political party. IPAC is not a legally binding body, has no law backing…it is not the right directive to the NDC. It is a misdirection,” Prof Gyampo said on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana on Thursday, August 12.
The opposition NDC presented 34 electoral reforms to the EC as part of efforts to improve the country’s electoral architecture.
The Electoral Commission then directed the NDC, the main opposition party in Ghana, to submit all its electoral proposals to the IPAC.
The EC said it does not deal with individual political parties. The EC is of the view that IPAC is the right forum. Meanwhile, the NDC has faulted IPAC as ineffective since the current Jean Mensa-led EC has failed to incorporate suggestions at meetings into its activities.
Included in NDC’s reforms is a proposal to make decisions taken at IPAC meetings binding on the EC.
One of the key proposals of the NDC is for the EC Commissioners and Chair to get parliamentary approval.
The NDC is of the view that the current situation where the President nominates the EC Chair could create a conflict of interest situation.
