The Electoral Commission (EC) has dismissed claims of disenfranchising eligible voters in the ongoing limited voter registration exercise.
Addressing a press conference, EC Chairperson, Jean Mensa said such claims are false.
“We have heard of allegations from the various quarters that the Commission is disenfranchising eligible voters. This is false,” she refuted.
The EC boss insisted it is not in the interest of the Commission to disenfranchise any eligible voter.
She noted that the Commission is working around the clock to ensure that every eligible voter registers with ease.
“In fact, we take pride in the fact that we have the second-highest number of registered voters in the whole of Africa, with the exception of Cape Verde, which has a national population of just about 600,000 and a voting population of 55.33 per cent,” she added.
She further stated that “Per the 2021 census figures, Ghana boasts of a register that captures 55 per cent of the national population, that is 17, 27,000 persons out of a national population of 31 million.
“As a Commission, we pride ourselves on the fact that our voter registration population meets international best practices for the registration of voters,” she said.
Jean Mensa’s comments come in the wake of concerns by some members of the public regarding the decision by the EC to conduct registration at its 268 district offices instead of electoral areas.
However, the EC boss says the ongoing registration is not a full-blown exercise, adding that another registration will be done before the 2024 election.
“In line with our plans to promote an inclusive participatory registration process, we plan to institute continuous registration in all our district offices nationwide in 2024 for a considerable length of time,” she noted.
Meanwhile, Jean Mensa has assured the Commission will identify difficult-to-access areas and undertake a mop-up exercise in those areas.
She explained that although it is not in the Commission’s interest for eligible voters to be disenfranchised, the present circumstances make it impossible to conduct the registration on an electoral basis.
Madam Mensa stated that if the C. I before Parliament is passed, “We would have had some six months this year to register voters at any time of their choice in our district offices throughout the country.”
ALSO READ: