EC's motion on the ROPAA will be proposed on March 4

Policy of Friday, February 15, 2019

Source: dailyheritage.com.gh

2019-02-15

On March 4, 2019, the Human Rights Chamber of the High Court of Accra heard the Election Commission (EC) 's request for extension of time on the implementation of the 2007 law amending of the law on the representation of peoples (ROPAA). .

In December, the court ordered the EC to ensure the implementation of Law 699 on the ROPAA before the end of last year (17 December 2018).

But he was not able to respect the time limit for the court, hence the request to allow him 12 additional calendar months to fully implement the 12-year-old law that will allow Ghanaians residing abroad to vote legally in the United States. general elections in Ghana.

Affidavit In his court affidavit filed by Commission Chair Jane Mensa, the EC stated that it had not been able to enforce Law 699 because of the three main challenges that tainted the electorate.

"I say that after the judgment of the court and before the court order can be executed, the first defendant [EC] had serious leadership problems that ultimately led to the removal of my predecessor and the Deputy Commissioners who sat on the Commission. "

The affidavit notes further that "I repeat that the prolonged leadership difficulties of the first respondent / Commission and the blocking of decision-making at the level of the first defendant / plaintiff's management and therefore affected the operationalization of the Bill 699 in the (1) year ordered by this honorable court ".

The President of the EC further explained that the Commission "was not able to apply the Court's order thereafter because of its work relating to the attribution for the creation of the six (6) new regions of the country that has just ended. "

The Affidavit further stated that it testified to its willingness to implement the 699 Act, "the EC has since established an Implementation Committee chaired by the Vice President, Dr. Bossman Asare Eric, in consultation with the general public, External Voting to take appropriate measures for its implementation in Ghana ".

The President indicated that since the Court had the power and power to extend the time in which the first defendant / plaintiff [EC] is requested to operationalize Law 699 for the benefit of the petitioners / defendants and persons concerned by the application of Law 699, she asks the Court, "for the extension of the period of twelve (12) calendar months ending in January 2020, to allow the first respondent / plaintiff hereof to take the necessary steps ordered by the court in the aforementioned judgment. "

In an affidavit opposing the EC's request for an extension of time filed by Anna Owusu Mireku, A-Partners @Law staff member, the plaintiffs argue that "the request for an extension of time presented by the EC itself is: a show of contempt since the Court gave the EC and its Commissioners until 30 November 2018 to report their difficulties.

The applicants further stated that "the absence of this date in the EC's application shows that, in a contemptuous manner, they are not even aware of it and have certainly done nothing.

They therefore request the court to treat the EC's actions as having treated the Court building with contempt and not to merit the granting of this prayer for a one-year extension.