Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), USA branch, Kofi Tontoh has lauded the High Court’s decision ordering the implementation of the Representation Of the People’s Amendment Act (ROPAA), 2006.
Mr. Tontoh says there’s a mass of Ghanaians living abroad and there’s no justifiable reason to keep disenfranchising them.
ROPAA was passed during the John Kufuor-led NPP administration in 2006 and has since gathered dust on the shelves of the Electoral Commission (EC).
In a landmark ruling Monday, an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Anthony K. Yeboah ordered the EC to take steps to implement the Act.
Speaking to Joy News TV’s News Desk programme, Mr. Tontoh lauded the ruling and stated that it is long overdue considering the mass of Ghanaians that live abroad.
“There are counties in Massachusetts that house more than 30,000 Ghanaians and there are over 70,000 Ghanaians living in New York,” he stated.
He added that the EC would have been slapped with contempt in some jurisdictions for refusing to implement the ROPAA “without any justifiable reason”.
Mr. Tontoh couldn’t hide his confusion at the vehemence with which the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is kicking against the ruling
.
“…in any case the ruling is directed at the EC and not the NDC”, he said.
“Let us implement this and then put in place steps to address the challenges that arise”, he added.
The Electoral Commission has cited financial and logistics constraints for its inability to implement the law, but the court disagreed on grounds that, they couldn’t produce any documents to the effect that they asked parliament for funding for the project.
Meanwhile, the current EC boss and her two deputies are facing possible impeachment proceedings while having to deal with this landmark ruling within a time limit.
– Credit: www.myjoyonline.com
