A group of health care professionals have called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to reconsider the June 30 voter registration exercise which they believe could lead to mass COVID-19 infections and likely deaths in the country.
The group, made up of over 100 medical doctors, nurses, laboratory professionals and other allied health care personnel, say the already strained health care facilities would not be able to handle the cases that would emerge as a result of the mass exercise.
Rather, the group wants the EC to consider a process that will minimize mass gathering and promote the principles of social distancing as well as the protocols established by the World Health Organization (WHO).
A letter dated Wednesday, June 24 and addressed to the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Jean Mensah, the group said instead of holding a mass registration exercise, the EC should rather conduct a special registration for persons who have recently attained voting age since that would pose lower risks.
“In our view, given that the existing biometric register has been used successfully to conduct significant number of elections including two presidential and parliamentary elections, two District Assembly elections since 2012 and a referendum by your outfit in 2018 to create six new regions, we find it plausible that same register will suffice for our impending elections. Those who have recently attained voting age can be accommodated in a special registration exercise with much lower risks due to the fewer numbers,” the letter said.
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