The Electoral Commission (EC) has refuted claims that it is disenfranchising eligible voters in the ongoing Limited Voter Registration Exercise.
The Minority Chief Whip, Governs Agbodza, has accused the Electoral Commission (EC) of intentionally creating difficulties in the limited voter registration exercise held at its district offices.
Agbodza claims that the EC is collaborating with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to facilitate the introduction of a Constitutional Instrument (CI) in Parliament. This CI would authorize the use of the Ghana Card as the exclusive registration document for the 2024 general elections.
The EC has faced widespread backlash from various political parties, civil society organizations, and the public for insisting on conducting the limited voter registration exercise solely at its district offices.
But engaging the press on Monday, September 18, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensa noted that it is not in the interest of the EC to hinder Ghanaians from exercising their rights.
“We have the best interests of Ghanaians at heart. We do not intend to disenfranchise voters,” she said.
She used the opportunity to dispel claims that the EC has deliberately deployed faulty equipment to the stronghold of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to the EC Chair, all regions except the Savannah Region, experienced a delay in registration due to faulty equipment – a situation that has been addressed.
On why the exercise is being conducted at the EC’s district offices, Madam Jean Mensa noted that holding the exercise at the various electoral areas will pose a challenge to the Commission due to its constrained budget.
The EC Chair, however, revealed that it would hold another voter registration aside from its current one ahead of the 2024 general elections.
She says the Commisssion is targeting 700,000 Ghanaians, that is 52 percent of the registrable applicants
According to Madam Jean Mensa, those who are not able to participate in its current exercise will get the opportunity to do so in subsequent exercises. She made mention of the EC taken notice of areas that will not be able to access its district offices.
Meanwhile, the EC has charged Ghanaians to challenge any individual they believe are minors or foreigners who seek to participate in the limited voter registration exercise.
There are reports that National Democratic Congress (NDC) Constituency Youth Organizer, Courage Tetteh, has been arrested at Shai Osudoku Constituency for attempting to register minors.