PNC Gov’t Targets EC Boss For Using US$130 Instead Of US$30m For Voters’ Register

At least one political party has stated that Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Jean Mensah will be prosecuted for corruption over the compilation of the new voters register if it comes to power.

The Peoples National Convention (PNC) is accusing Jean Mensah and her other colleagues at the Commission of creaming off at least US$100million from the compilation exercise.

Bernard Mornah, National Chairman of the PNC stated, ““analyses show that we wasted $130 million on an exercise that we could conduct safely with $30 million. Where did the $100 million go?” 

Monarh charged: “So, I say that Jean Mensa and all the actors in this grand scheme to steal Ghana’s money are candidates for prosecution.”

However, political watchers are certain that the PNC which is virtually the fourth-ranked political party in Ghana is not likely to win an election in Ghana any time soon, hence its threat would be better directed to inspire the most likely party to defeat the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)-the NDC.

This is not the first time that Jean Mensah and other Commissioners at the EC have been accused of using the controversial compilation of a  new voter register to allegedly pocket public money. 

Policy think-tank IMANI Africa had described the new voters register as wasteful of public funds and worthless.

Earlier, investigative journalist, Kevin Taylor had alleged that Jean Mensah and her conspirators at the EC were going to cream off US$8million from the controversial voter registration exercise.

According Kevin Taylor, President Akufo-Addo too stood to make US$5million for himself from the deal.

In the lead up to Mrs. Jean Mensah and the EC compiling the new register, many Ghanaians had protested the move as a waste of money as the existing register was good enough to be used for elections. 

However, Jean Mensah had held a hard nose and gotten through with the compilation with the claim that a new register would clean the country’s electoral roll of foreigners, minors and dead people.

After having her way, however, Jean Mensah has made a U-turn, announcing that the new register too has foreigners, minors and dead people on it, making many wonder if she has not caused financial loss to the State.

The opposition National Democratic Congress has said it will scrutinize everything that the current leadership is doing when it comes to power and that if it becomes necessary to prosecute culprits.

Mr. Bernard Mornah has said that the EC Chairperson’s admission that the new register has unqualified people on it is an indictment of herself.