National PTAs unhappy over voter registration at Senior High Schools

The National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations of Ghana has expressed dissatisfaction over the Electoral Commission’s (EC) sole decision to register eligible student voters in Senior High Schools without consulting them.

The council believes the registration is conflicting with the purpose for which students were brought to school.

Speaking in an interview on the issue, the President of the National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations, Alexander Danso, said:
“the students were to be in school to do their revision and sit for the exams.”

Mr. Danso also expressed worry over the fact that the students are being exposed to more risk of contracting COVID-19.

“Those who are coming to do the registration, have they been tested? Are they free from the virus? We have to take into consideration all these things.

“But if you don’t consult and you don’t do anything and you say you are going to register the students, is that why they brought them to the school? That is not part of it.”

Some observers had expressed fears that the eligible student voters would be disenfranchised because they were not allowed to leave the school premises as part of the COVID-19 safety protocols.

Following consultations with the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Commission allocated two days, July 10 and July 11, to go to senior high schools and register students ahead of the December polls.

This registration will take place in all Senior High Schools that do not have polling stations within them.

The EC, however, noted that additional days will be announced if it becomes necessary for ensuring the registration of eligible applicants.

In a response to the legal basis for the new arrangement, the Director of Electoral Services at the EC, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe clarified that registration of the students will be matched to the current registration centres that have been gazetted for the registration.

NDC QUESTIONS LEGALITY OF THE EXERCISE

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had raised concerns about the legality of the EC’s move to register eligible Senior High School students.

According to the Deputy General Secretary of the party, Peter Boamah Otukonor, these newly created centres have not been gazetted to allow for their use in the ongoing exercise.

“As you may already know, some of the schools are registration centres already and they have been gazetted so the ones that are not registration centres and have not been gazetted, any registration that is conducted on those campuses are null and void and it creates problems.”

Notwithstanding the concerns raised, the EC is focused on proceeding with plans to carry on with the registration of SHS students.

In the words of the EC, it said:

“The Electoral Commission wishes to inform the general public that, it will embark on a two-day registration exercise for all eligible Senior High School students across the country. This registration will take place in all Senior High Schools that do not have polling stations (registration centres) within the schools.”