A former member of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) government under Jerry Rawlings, Sgt. Alolga Akatapore, has warned the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure fairness and transparency in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Speaking at a special event organised by the Socialist Movement of Ghana on Pan African TV, dubbed, “Wednesday Palaver” Sgt. Alolga, urged the EC to engage with the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), civil organisations, and the clergy to ensure a smooth electoral process.
He stressed the importance to prevent a repeat of the election violence witnessed in Techeman and other parts of the country during the 2020 elections, where eight people lost their lives, calling on the EC to take proactive measures to prevent such incidents.
Sgt Alolga, also expressed concerns about the new machines being used by the EC for the elections and recommended that all political parties be given the opportunity to inspect the machines before they are used.
Additionally, he emphasized the importance of Parliamentary approval for the purchase of these machines and suggested that they should be logged on from the start until after voting to prevent any tampering of information.
Furthermore, Sgt Alolga, questioned why the EC, did not consult with a cyber security expert during the procurement of the machines, expressing surprise at receiving a message thanking him for registering as a voter after the registration process.
He encouraged the opposition parties, to be cautious and remain vigilant about the electoral system.
Being an IT expert, Sgt Alolga’s warnings and recommendations, should be taken seriously by the EC and the government, in order to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process.
