The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Mensa has justified the need to use the Ghana Card as the only document to be used to acquire Voters’ identification cards as contained in the new Constitutional Instrument (CI) yet to be laid before, Parliament.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, 28th February 2023 during the Committee of the Whole, Madam Jean Mensa said, the significant feature of the draft Constitutional Instrument under discussion “is the proposal to adopt the Ghana Card as the sole source of identification for any person who wishes to register as a voter”.
According to her, this implies that the guarantor system which hitherto allowed a registered voter to vouch for the citizenship and age of prospective applicants will no longer be relied upon if the new CI is passed.
The second reason she has is that “over the years the guarantor system has presented us with several challenges, “unfortunately, we were unable to discard it much earlier due to the absence of a national identification document such as the one issued by the NIA”.
She said, the challenges with the guarantor system are two-fold: it opens the door for registered voters or guarantor contractors to guarantee/vouch for persons who were less than 18 years. Secondly, it allows the guarantors to vouch for foreigners. Such unqualified persons used the door of the guarantor system to try to get onto the register.
“It is important to note that, to rid the register of minors and foreigners in 2020, the Electoral Commission established the District Registration Review Committees (DRRCs) which worked several days and weeks in all the districts to expunge the names
of minors and foreigners from the register, we were able to successfully expunge over 40,000 minors and foreigners from the Register during the Registration Exercises”, she added.
She said the Commission will do everything in its power to register all qualified applicants who wish to register as voters in line with its goal to ensure that no one is left behind.
“As you know, the EC has a proven track record in this regard. In 2020 despite the concerns raised by the sections of the society that the registration exercise will not be successful, the EC registered over 17 million people in 38 days during the COVID-19 pandemic and the rainy season”.
“It was a seamless and inclusive process and no one was left out. Yes, we can!” the EC added.
EC said to enhance the transparency of the registration process, the political parties may have their agents at the registration centers. Additionally, the Commission will regularly update the political ca parties on the number of registrants at each District Office.
“Mr. Speaker, I wish to emphasize that the Ghana Card will not be 600,00 used to vote in 2024. The Ghana Card is only a requirement to register as a voter. Once you present your Ghana Card and successfully register as a voter, you will be issued a Voter’s Identification Card which bears the code of your region and district. 31 million electoral areas, and polling stations. The Ghana card does not have these features. It will not be used to vote in the 2024 General Elections”.
In her conclusion, Madam Mensa stressed the fact that “in the exercise of our mandate, we are mindful of Article 42 which enjoins us to register Ghanaians who are 18 years or above and who are of sound mind. We do not intend to disenfranchise persons who qualify to vote. It is in our interest to register them”.
The Chairperson of the Commission was in the House with her team to brief Members on the Draft C.l. – Public Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations 2022 and other related matters.