Ghanaians living abroad led by US based advocacy group, Progressive Alliance Movement (PAM) has welcomed the court decision to allow them vote in the 2020 general elections.
The Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court on Monday December 18, 2017 ordered the Electoral Commission (EC ) to implement the Representation of the People Amendment Act (ROPAA)2006 (Act699), which gives Ghanaians in the diaspora the right to vote, within 12 months.
Per the court order, the EC must operationalise the Act by laying a constitutional provision (CI) before Parliament to set out the modalities for the implementation of the Act.
In a judgement delivered Monday, the Court, presided over by Mr Justice Anthony Yeboah, said the 12 months grace period starts from January 1, 2018 and it is to enable Ghanaians in the diaspora to vote in the 2020 elections.
This decision, according to Kofi Koranteng, leader of Progressive Alliance Movement is welcoming.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Monday, he said they can now heave a sigh of relief after the controversial law was passed in 2005 and signed it into law by the erstwhile Kufuor administration is now seeing the light of day.
Kofi Koranteng maintained that the electoral body has no justifiable reason not to comply with the Court order.
“This is long overdue; the EC has o excuse not to comply with the Court order. We are very excited by the ruling” he added.
Source:Ghana/Adomonline.com/Adwoa Gyasiwaa
