Thank you for staring a discussion on all this import issue. This is how I look at the issue. There are two main categories of Ghanaians abroad. These include economic migrants and expatriates, whose purpose for living outside is for reasons ranging from economic remunerations, diplomatic service and military service to personal preference. These groups of diasporans usually intend to return to Ghana and maintain their citizenship and continue to pay taxes. The second category has to do with persons and their descendants who have permanently left Ghana and do not intend to return, they generally assume citizenship of their country of residence by either renouncing their Ghanaian citizenship or assuming dual nationality. It is doubtful if we have adequate records on all these groups, particularly the latter, to determine who still maintains or renounces their Ghanaian citizenship hence, in the event of diasporan vote; we may end up extending privileges to diasporans who actually do not deserve one.

Following request by a diasporan voter to the EC, voting material will mailed to the voter's specified address by the electoral EC.such requests however must be accompanied by a photocoy of the essential pages of the individual making the request so as to allow the EC authenticate the person's nationality and ensure credibility. The voter then completes the ballot and returns it, either by mail(DHL, EMS, EXPRESS, ETC) to the EC. Integrity checks would generally rest on the requirement for a statement of the voter's identity and eligibility to accompany the returned ballot material. Successful mail voting systems depend on an efficient mail delivery service and trustworthiness of the postal system in Ghana. This will require that any diasporan who intends to vote in Ghanaian elections would have to request voting paper from the EC either through email, phone call, or postage in a reasonable time ahead of the elections to allow for return of the vote so cast on or before general election day in the country. The EC can design special ballot paper with security features and serial numbers for the diasporan votes to track down on any fraud or attempts to print counterfeits of such papers by any political parties, its supporters or individuals who simply want to undermine the system.

The approach of voting by postage also ensures that the diasporan bears the cost associated with posting his/her vote to EC. It also ensures secrecy of the ballot. This approach would demand that the EC is well resourced to carry out all the issues involved in diasporan registration, background checking, building a database for diasporan voters, as well as the security of the ballot system. The confidence in mail or voting by postage lies in the fact that the EC only opens all posted votes on election night in the presence of agents of all political parties contesting in an election, foreign observers, and agents of other accrediated institutions. The biggest challenge to diasporan voting by postage/ mail is the problem of constituency delimitation in the case of parliament and district assembly elections, unless the law is made to ensure that diasporans are automatically situated within their place of birth or town of origin, this could be a great obstacle to overcome. This form of voting has be come the practice in some countries due to its secrecy and cost effectiveness. As a nation, we can adopt a similar system but with mechanism that response to the special needs of our country’s hopes and fears. This is only a humble submission and it is hoped that, this will be subjected to some critical thinking and non-partisan debate with the view to achieving the best for ourselves. With this, it does not matter to me when the law is implemented. What matters is implementing it when we are most ready. As a ghanaian living abroad, I am not officially representing Ghana here and would not expect the nation to follow me with what are my rights as a citizen. Rights must also go with obligations. If the nation however is kind enough to extend the right to vote to me wherever I am, I must not take that to mean a right to bring Ghanaian ballot boxes here in North America. Thank you!