The Electoral Commission of Ghana has rescinded its decision to continue registering voters on Friday, 31 July 2020.

The day has been declared a statutory holiday by the government for the Eid al-Adha Muslim festivities.

The EC’s latest decision followed protests from the Muslim community.

A prominent voice against the earlier decision was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak, who described it as “sacrilegious, disrespectful and a breach of peoples’ religious freedom”.

The EC is currently compiling the voter roll for the December 7 polls.

The exercise, which began across the nation on Tuesday, 30 June 2020, is scheduled to end on Thursday, 6 August 2020.

Reacting to the EC’s earlier decision, the Kumbungu MP, who is also a Muslim, said he was saddened by the development.

“I’m sad, I’m angry, sad and angry because the Electoral Commission [Chair] has decided not to accord Muslims up and down the country that respect. It is a statutory holiday and it is not just any ordinary holiday,” Mr Mubarack stated.

The MP noted that if this were a Christian holiday, the EC would not have gone ahead to work on that day.

“This is one of the two most important holidays for Muslims, not just Muslims in Ghana but for Muslims all over the world. The observance of Eid al-Adha, that is the Muslim feast of sacrifice, and there are several, probably hundreds of Electoral Commission officers who are Muslims who would want to observe the day with their loved ones and friends; to say that they should come to work on Friday is sacrilegious, it’s disrespectful, it is a breach of peoples’ religious freedom”, he fumed. 

“Imagine if this were Easter or Christmas, would the Electoral Commission [Chair] insist that they will go ahead with the registration? Absolutely not. So, why would she want to disrespect, to show disdain to Muslims up and down the country and to the Muslim faith?” Ras Mubarak asked. 

The Kumbungu MP further described the action by the EC as insensitive.

“If it’s not an act of insensitivity, tell me what it is; insensitivity to the rights of Muslims in the country. That is what it is”, he stressed.