I listened to Abu Ramadan on Peace Fm. He rightly argues that only Ghanaians are eligible to register and vote in elections in Ghana. Any resident of Ghana (including foreigners) are legally permitted to apply for and hold NHIS Card. And that unlike Passport, Drivers Licence, the NHIS Card does not indicate the Nationality of the holder. In effect, allowing potential voters to register with NHIS Cards (the current position of C.I. 72) may easily open the floodgate for non-Ghanaians to register and possibly vote with us in the election of our President, MPS and Assemblymen. Good Arguments! But who says the possession of say Ghana Passport in itself makes one conclusively eligible to be registered as a voter? It is no secret that some non-Ghanaians are holding GH passports. So the use of passports for registration in itself does not cure the mischief that the use of NHIS may bring (Non-Ghanaians who have illegally acquired Gh Passports can like those holding NHIS Cards register and vote). I think the framers of the Law foresaw this and that is why they added that not withstanding how you prove your nationality (whether with passport, birth cert or Drivers License) your nationality can still be challenged and you cannot be registered if the challenge is sustained! If the Nationality of holders of GH passports, drivers license, birth certs can be challenged and their holding of such National IDs cannot determinedly prevent such a challenge, then it only means that in proving your eligibility to register and vote in Ghana, the holding of any National ID Card is not a sufficient defence. So why is Abu Ramadan seeking a pronouncement on only NHIS Card?
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 19:12:13 +0000
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