‘ROPAA must be everywhere or nowhere’ – Ofosu Ampofo Warns EC

The national chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo is urging the Electoral Commission (EC) to implement Representation of the People Amendment Act (ROPAA) such that every Ghanaian living abroad can vote.

Speaking to Mugabe Maase, host of Inside Politics on Radio XYZ 93.1, Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated that NDC will resist any attempt by the EC to exclude some Ghanaians from voting in the 2020 elections.

“We are watching the EC…ROPAA must be everywhere or nowhere,” he warned and asked the EC chairperson, Jean Mensah to take note.

Mr Ofosu Ampofo also cautioned the EC to do its work well to enable all Ghanaian living abroad to take part in the elections.

Ghana can become the largest democracy in the world should the implementation of the Representation of the People’s Amendment Act (ROPAA), 2006 (Act 699) which gives Ghanaians in the Diaspora the right to vote from abroad, becomes successful.

In December 2018, the Electoral Commission inaugurated a nine-member committee to oversee the implementation of ROPAA.

The Committee which is headed by deputy EC chair, Dr Eric Bossman Asare will engage with political parties and other groups and see to a successful implementation of the over a decade old law.

Even though it was passed into law by Parliament some 12 years ago, the EC could not see to its implementation, citing the unavailability of the required resources as its reason for failing to adhere to the law.

It had to take a suit and an order by the Accra High Court for the EC to begin the process of implementation.