Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, Director of Electoral Services at the Electoral Commission, cautioned citizens against re-registering if they don’t receive their Voter ID card immediately after registration, emphasizing the importance of patience and avoiding duplicate registrations.
Dr. Quaicoe stressed that successful biometric data capture guarantees registration in the system, regardless of whether the physical voter ID card has been issued, ensuring secure and efficient registration processing.
He further clarified that the Voter’s ID card is an auxiliary document, serving as tangible proof of registration, but not the sole determinant of one’s registered status.
“Once you’ve gone through the system and biometrics have been captured, you are known by the system. So whether you have a card or not, once your biometrics have been successfully captured, you are known by the system”.
Dr. Serebour Quaicoe
Furthermore, he recognized that some individuals may experience difficulties in obtaining their voter cards during the initial registration period, acknowledging potential hurdles in the process.
However, he reassured the public that obtaining the card is a straightforward process, requiring only a return visit to the registration center to complete the process.
Moreover, Dr. Quaicoe emphasized the crucial role of the exhibition phase in the registration process, stressing its significance in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the electoral roll.
According to Dr. Quaicoe, the registration process is finalized with the exhibition phase, where a provisional voter register is published, marking the culmination of the registration process.
As such, he urged all registrants to visit the exhibition centers to confirm their details and rectify any errors or discrepancies, ensuring the accuracy of their registration.
“That is why it is a provisional list and after the exhibition, the judge will certify it and it becomes a final register”. – Dr. Serebour Quaicoe
Dr. Quaicoe reiterated that registrants who didn’t receive their cards must return to the registration centers to collect them. He also stressed that during the exhibition, it’s crucial for electorates to visit the centers and verify that their names are indeed on the register.
EC Apologizes for Wrongful Arrest
Meanwhile, the New Juaben South Municipal Electoral Commission (EC) in the Eastern Region has issued an apology to an 18-year-old boy who was wrongly arrested on Saturday due to a double registration error.
The 18-year-old boy, Martin Kwakye Boateng, was detained by authorities when he attempted to obtain his voter ID card at the registration center, unaware of a double registration error which led to his wrongful arrest.
According to Martin Yaw Boateng, the boy’s father, his then 14-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter were illegally registered by unknown political operatives in 2020, without their knowledge or consent.
Mr. Boateng pointed out that despite his formal request to the EC in a letter dated July 23, 2020, the names of his children were not removed from the register, leading to his son’s traumatic arrest. He emphasized that the incident has left his son severely distressed.
Kofi Asante Owusu, the Municipal EC boss, explained that the names of the two minors were indeed removed from the voter register at the Constituency level in response to the petition, however apparently, the deletion was not reflected in the EC’s central database at the headquarters, leading to the boy’s arrest.
Furthermore, Mr. Owusu revealed that the EC office at the New Juaben constituency has offered a sincere and unconditional apology for the unfortunate incident, acknowledging their responsibility in the matter.
Mr. Boateng, the boy’s father, indicated that the family has accepted the apology in good faith but hopes the EC will delete the names from the database to enable the boy to register to vote in the December general elections.
He, however, disclosed the family had considered seeking compensation for the public embarrassment, but Mr. Owusu’s kind and conciliatory manner persuaded them to let the matter drop and move on.
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