Report by Nana POKU
The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana has decided to display the voters register for prospective voters to check their names and details for action in 2024 elections.
Deputy Commissioner of EC, Samuel Tettey outlined what the exhibition intends to achieve. He told journalists that after the limited registration, the Commission has thought it wise to produce the draft register for voters to go at designated district offices to double check their names and details before the Election Day.
The time for the exhibition is from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. He added that if for some natural or unforeseen reason some people are unable to do so within the time frame, a new date will be scheduled for them elsewhere to do that.
He referred to the victims of the Akosombo dam disaster and said such people would be given a window of opportunity to undertake the exercise at a later date accordingly. He added that those who have lost their Voters ID Card can procure new ones at their district offices or be given special dispensation to vote on the D-Day provided the person can remember his polling station where he voted the last time, as well as his number and his details.
He gave out conditions for changing or challenging one’s card or eligibility to vote.
He stated that where there is the need for changes, one can go to any of the district electoral offices to effect that.
He stated that in the case of challenging ones eligibility, some magistrates courts have been constituted to deal with such matters swiftly not to disenfranchise someone wrongly.
Besides the challenger will fill a challenge for and state why such a person must be disenfranchised. He warned that no one can effect changes or removal of someone’s name(s) without the presence of the party involved.
The commissioner further intimated that, there are minors on the register and appealed to parents and guardians to help the commission to remove such names from the register. Again he asked bereaved families to provide death and burial certificates to enable them remove the names of the dead from the register.
He meticulously outlined the process and importance of this exercise and appealed to all Ghanaians to fully partake in it. During the exhibition, officials from the EC, Political party reps, and the media can and must visit the centers to observe the exercise and raise any untoward developments to be addressed immediately.
He stated this exercise is being done to ensure a credible and acceptable voter register for Ghana.
