The Electoral Commission (EC) announced on Thursday that it is making progress toward achieving its limited voter registration goal.

The Commission's objective is to register approximately 1,350,000 individuals on the electoral roll.

However, the EC had previously indicated that it did not anticipate registering all 1,350,000 targeted individuals within the 21-day registration period. They revised their target to approximately 700,000, which accounts for 52 percent of the original goal.

During a press conference held in Accra to provide an update on the ongoing registration process, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare, Deputy Chairman in charge of Corporate Services at the EC, stated that the Commission is making steady progress towards achieving its revised 52 percent target. As of the 16th day of the registration exercise, the Commission had registered 673,276 new voters.

“The Commission is within a striking distance of the targeted 700,000 persons to be registered in this exercise,” he said.

Dr. Asare provided regional breakdowns of the registration figures, with the Ashanti Region recording the highest number at 111,593 (16.6 percent), while the Savannah Region reported the lowest figure of 16,045 (2.4 percent). Other regional statistics include:

- Western Region: 42,269 (6.3 percent)

- Western North Region: 22,386 (3.3 percent)

- Central Region: 63,228 (9.4 percent)

- Greater Accra Region: 90,099 (13.4 percent)

- Volta Region: 43,099 (6.4 percent)

- Oti Region: 18,468 (2.7 percent)

- Eastern Region: 69,597 (10.3 percent)

- Bono Region: 23,365 (3.5 percent)

- Ahafo Region: 17,210 (2.6 percent)

- Bono East Region: 28,687 (4.3 percent)

- Northern Region: 52,410 (7.8 percent)

- North-East Region: 17,692 (2.6 percent)

- Upper East Region: 33,778 (5 percent)

- Upper West Region: 23,350 (3.5 percent)

Dr. Asare emphasized the Commission's commitment to registering all eligible Ghanaians and mentioned that they have increased the number of registration stations within their district offices to accommodate the high turnout and expedite the process.

Furthermore, the Commission plans to conduct a continuous registration exercise at all district offices in 2024 to enable individuals who were unable to register during this year's exercise to do so.

“We will roll out another round of limited continuous registration in 2024 in our district offices and register people in the difficult-to-reach communities and selected electoral areas.

“We reiterate that it is not our intention to disenfranchise anyone,” he said.

Dr Asare also said that the commission had set October 3, 2023, for the replacement of misplaced voter ID cards at a fee of GH¢10 across its district offices.

“The payment is through a short code that will be made available to the public very, very soon,” he said, adding that, this was to make it easier for the public.

Individuals who wish to transfer their voting registration to different districts will have the opportunity to do so between October 3 and October 9, 2023, at all Electoral Commission (EC) district offices.

Dr. Asare provided assurance that the EC would persist in enhancing its systems to prevent the registration of ineligible voters, including minors and foreigners.

“As a Commission, we are focused on ensuring and maintaining the credibility of the voters' register. This is the reason behind the proposed new Constitutional Instrument (C.I) which will define the Ghana Card as the sole means of identification for new applicants to register as voters,” he said.