Ongoing Limited Voter Registration

NEWS COMMENTARY IS A CALL TO ACTION OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS TO PARTAKE IN THE EC’S ON-GOING LIMITED VOTER REGISTRATION EXERCISE.

The Limited Voter Registration has begun in earnest albeit with few challenges. The exercise is to afford citizens turning 18, and those who were not captured in the previous session, the opportunity to get their names unto the voters register, hence making them eligible to cast their ballots in the 2020 general election and other ones which they qualify to vote as Ghanaians. To ensure smooth and orderly activity, the Electoral Commission (EC) is working hand in hand with the Ghana Police Service, and has appealed to all to avoid falling foul of the law.

Activities which could make one a victim to face possible prosecution include providing false information at the time of registering, such as wrong date of birth, name, registering more than once among others. Above all non-Ghanaians are encouraged to stay off the centres. Needless to state, the Limited voter Registration is for Ghanaians only, who are resident or ordinarily resident in the designated constituency. For identification purposes at the centres, new voters are required to present a passport, driver’s license, ID Card, or an old voter id card acquired before 2012. One good thing is that anyone who is qualified to be registered and has no form of identification can have two persons serve as guarantors. It is worthy to note that physical confrontations are disallowed during the exercise, because the EC has initiated procedures to be followed by persons who have objections against certain individuals who may want to register, and may not be eligible to do so.

As the exercise progresses, the EC is reminding all that the activity is not their sole preserve. Citizens are being encouraged to be vigilant to ensure the success of the exercise. Vigilance does not however mean unnecessary criticisms and unfounded allegations. These it is believed to mar the electoral process. Following procedure and agreed upon processes will go a long way to enhance the beauty of the entire exercise. Another caution to citizens is to take advantage from now until the 7th of July open window dates for the Limited voter registration, so that those eligible are captured. Waiting until the usual Ghanaian last-minute way of doing things may be a disservice, or even a disappointment, because the EC has indicated, it may not extend the 21-day exercise, given that the electoral time table for this year has already been compromised. Besides, weekends are also open for registration. It is unfortunate some hitches were recorded on day one of the exercise with the electronic management system experiencing network problems.

Going forward, it is recommended that the EC further decentralises the registration, so that eligible voters are not disenfranchised. This is because some have raised questions with access to the centre, especially in the northern part of the country, and very remote areas.

The Limited Registration exercise is in fulfilment of article 42 and 45 (a) of the 1992 constitution which confers on every eligible Ghanaian the right to be registered as a voter and provides the Electoral Commission with the responsibility to ensure that the exercise is carried out successfully. The clarion call is out, let us all demonstrate our citizenship, and not be spectators. Traditional authority, youth, civil society, Faith Based Organisations and the rest must contribute to ensure that the Limited voter registration becomes successful!

BY REBECCA EKPE, A JOURNALIST.