EC Revokes Registration Certificates Of 17 Parties
The Electoral Commission of Ghana (ECG) has revoked the registration certificates of seventeen political parties for flouting Section 15 (1) of the Political Parties Act, 2000 (Act 574).
The parties include the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), United Front Party (UFP), United Development System Party (UDSP), Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE), Yes People’s Party (YPP), United Ghana Movement (UGM), and Democratic Freedom Party (DFP).
The rests are New Vision Party (NVP), Ghana Democratic-Republican Party (GDRP) Ghana National Party (GNP), Power Unity Party (PUP), United Progressive Party (UPP), Reform Patriotic Democrats (RPD), People’s Action Party (PAP), United Renaissance Party (URP), National Reform Party (NRP) and United Love Party (ULP).
The revocation follows a caution from the EC in October.
The Commissioner, Jean Mensah, in a notice in October, said she conducted a nationwide inspection of the offices of registered parties from May 16 to June 9, 2022, and noticed that the 17 parties do not have offices in the various regions, districts and constituencies as required by the Constitution.
“Following the nationwide inspection, it came to light that the under-listed Political Parties have no offices at the National and Regional levels as required by Section 15 (1) (Act 574).
“The Commission intends to invoke Section 15 (3) (c) of the Political Parties Act of 2000, Act 574, which mandates it to cancel the registration of Political Parties which do not have offices at the National and Regional levels”, the notice read.
The Commissioner, therefore, gave them up to the end of October to respond to the notice.
In a recent notice, the EC announced the revocation of their licences.
“Pursuant to the publication by the Electoral Commission dated 13th & 17th October 2022, the General Public is hereby informed that the Registration Certificates of the under-listed Political Parties have been cancelled in accordance with Section 15 (3) (c) of the Political Parties Law, 2000 (Act 574) effective the 1st day of November 2022,” a notice signed and issued by the Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa and published on Monday, November 14, 2022, stated.
Section 15 (1) of the Political Parties Act, 2000 (Act 574) states that “Within ninety days after the issue to it of a final certificate of registration, a political party shall furnish the Commission with details of the existence and location of its national, regional, district and constituency offices”.
Failure to comply with this, Section 15(3)(a) (b) and (c) directs the Commissioner to cancel the registration.
“Where a political party (a) refuses or neglects to comply with this section; or (b) makes a statement in a matter submitted to the Commission under this section which is false; or (c) has refused, neglected or failed to establish or maintain a national office or to establish or maintain a regional office in every region, the Commission may cancel the registration of that political party.”
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
