The Electoral Commission (EC) has received GH¢400 million out of a budgeted amount of GH¢701 million for the conduct of the 2020 elections.
This is according to the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu.
The Commission is scheduled to begin the compilation of a new voters’ register on the 30th of June as part of preparations for the elections.
Speaking at a press briefing in Parliament, the Majority Leader and Suame constituency Member of Parliament said the Special Budget Committee will pursue the Ministry of Finance to ensure the release the remaining GH¢301 million to enable the EC to hold free and fair elections.
“GH¢701 has been released but [the amount] actually received by the Commission [is] GH¢400. The Committee will have to engage the Finance Ministry to put pressure on them, to do what is needful because, no thanks to this COVID-19 environment, let’s face it, time is certainly not on our side,” he said.
The Electoral Commission is racing against time to organize the 2020 general elections amidst the global coronavirus pandemic.
Ahead of the polls, the commission is seeking to compile a new voters’ register which will be used in the upcoming polls.
The decision to compile a new register has been hit by various challenges including stiff opposition to the idea by some civil society organizations and opposition political parties.
Among other things, the campaigners against the compilation of a new register have cited limited time and the coronavirus outbreak for their opposition.
The largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is currently in court to challenge the decision of the Commission to exclude the use of the current voters’ ID as part of the proofs of identification for the new registration.
