The Electoral Commission of Ghana has expressed it regret over an initial technical challenges with internet connectivity that hampered the commencement of its Limited Voters Registration Exercise at several centers across the nation.
The Commission in a statement issued by its Acting Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Michael Boadu, indicated that the delays were noted during the monitoring of the registration process at the commencement of the exercise.
“We observed some technical challenges with internet connectivity in a number of our Centers, which delayed the start of the registration at several Registration Centres”.
Acting Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Michael Boadu
The Commission in its statement assured the public that it has taken swift action to rectify the issue, stating that by midday of the commencement of the exercise, the majority of the technical glitches had been resolved, allowing the registration process to proceed smoothly in most Registration Centres nationwide.
The Acting Director of Public Affairs of the Electoral Commission of Ghana further expressed the Electoral Commission’s commitment to closely monitoring the registration exercise and promptly addressing any issues that may arise.
This dedication according to the statement aims to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process for all eligible voters in Ghana.
In light of these developments, the Electoral Commission also encouraged all qualified applicants to seize the opportunity and register to vote in their respective districts.
EC Sets Ambitious Targets for Voter Registration Drive
In earlier engagement with the media, the Electoral Commission of Ghana announced its comprehensive arrangements for the ongoing limited voter registration exercise with the aim of surpassing its previous achievements.
Highlighting the success of previous efforts, the Chairperson of the Commission, Madam Jean Mensah disclosed that in 2023, the Commission targeted approximately 700,000 new registrants, yet exceeded expectations by registering an impressive 910,000 individuals.
Expressing confidence in the ongoing voter registration exercise, Madam Jean Mensah stated that the Commission is expected to register a total of 623,000 new registrants for the ongoing registration exercise.
Madam Jean Mensah further recounted that the Commission has meticulously gazetted all registration centres and outlined movement plans for its mobile teams, adhering to the legal requirement of providing a minimum 21-day notice to political parties, as stipulated in Regulation 3 of CI 91, as amended.
This transparent approach, she noted would ensure that stakeholders are adequately informed and can participate effectively in the electoral process.
According to her, all the political parties were briefed on the upcoming registration exercise during an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting held on Thursday, March 7th.
She noted that at the said meeting, the Commission shared comprehensive details, including the locations of registration centres nationwide and the movement plan for mobile teams.
This proactive engagement with political parties Madam Jean Mensah mentioned underscores the Commission’s commitment to transparency and collaboration in the electoral process.
Madam Jean Mensah also noted that by fulfilling the legal requirement to inform political parties in advance, the Commission has enabled parties to prepare and deploy agents to observe the voter registration exercise nationwide effectively.
In addition, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Madam Jean Mensah indicated that as part of the Commission’s plans to enhance accessibility and transparency, it has made readily available on the Commission’s website its gazetted centres, registration centres, and movement plans.
The Electoral Commission’s 2024 Limited Voter Registration Exercise commenced on Tuesday, May 7, and is expected to end on Monday, May 27, 2024, with the ultimate aim of registering citizens who have turned 18 since the last registration onto the national album.
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